


The Million Dollar Ghost Girl

by DameoftheDark



Series: Dani Phantom [10]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: AU where danny sam and tucker are the opposite gender, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-08-16 20:33:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 32,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16502237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DameoftheDark/pseuds/DameoftheDark
Summary: The morning after her mind-altering experience at Circus Gothica, Dani wakes up to find her mentor missing from her room. However, she's confident the events of the previous night were real, and a text message from Vlad confirms this. Then, without realizing it, she asks him out on a date, which he greatly accepts. While out on their first date as an official couple, Dani and Vlad witness a televised speech made by one of the city council members; a man who deems Dani Phantom to be a threat to the town. He places a million-dollar bounty on the teenager's head, and within a week, several notable ghost hunters arrive in Amity Park. Unfortunately, one of the ghost hunters after the ghost girl is Jack Fenton, and Vlad is none too pleased. Soon Dani finds herself trying to ease her boyfriend's rage as well as attempting to evade the troublesome ghost hunters. Will she be able to keep Vlad from attacking her dad out of anger and manage to stay out of the way of the would-be millionaires at the same time?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Forgive me father for I have sinned---for taking too long to update! TT~TT I was hoping to upload a Thanksgiving story by November 20, but I don't think that's going to happen, given the order my stories are going to come in. I don't know how often I'll be able to update this story, but I will try to write as often as I am able. Anyway, enough of my babbling. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

The young heroine stirred awake, eyes fluttering open when the blackness faded to a soft yellow. Her entire room was bathed in low autumn light, warm and delicate. The white paint of her model rockets appeared fresh and new, courtesy of this light, and their metal attachments gleamed. The knobs on her dressers and closet shined as well, emitting subtle glints of gold. As for the blue walls, they no longer appeared royal, but instead sky blue, which was rather fitting, considering it was now morning.

Then the ghost girl noticed something: she was alone.

She shot up, looking around frantically. There were no signs of anyone being in her room, as if no one was ever present to begin with.

Like last night didn’t happen.

But she remembered it so vividly. The younger half ghost recalled Vlad’s piercing eyes, his comforting musk, his sultry voice.

His warm lips.

She remembered his words like he had just spoken them to her. The older man’s genuine declaration resonated with her even now, causing her heart to ache.

_It was real. I know it was._

Relaxing, she lay back down on her bed, curling up next to the empty spot to her right. Dani imagined what her mentor must have looked like when he was asleep, and she couldn’t help but giggle. Leaning over, she lay her cheek into the pillow, catching the faint scent of his hair, which she had finally pinned down to something woodsy.

For indeed, whenever she smelled it, she always pictured a forest, breath-taking and tranquil.

Taking a deep inhale, Dani ran her hand over the sheets, right where the billionaire was laying. As a sweet smile made its way across her face, the memory of his tenderness careened into her mind. He had been so gentle with her, so loving, when he confessed his feelings, as well as making sure she made it home before curfew, and especially when he agreed to stay the night. For some, such a thing would have been a recipe for disaster, but not for Dani. She trusted him, and he proved her right; Vlad never made a move on her, nor did he overstep his boundaries (well, besides his rough kiss and when he chucked his shirt and jacket off).

But then again, she didn’t really mind those things.

Were that the full extent of it though---she was now dating the handsome, charming, considerate older tycoon!

Unable to help herself, the blue-eyed teen squealed in glee, hugging her comforter close to her chest as she flopped on the other side of the bed, face-first into the pillow. Her belly felt tight, the butterflies coming to life deep inside. She couldn’t wait to see him again. She couldn’t wait to throw herself into his arms, to hold him close, and to feel his soft lips on hers once again.

But she had to wonder: why did he leave without saying goodbye?

Then she heard her phone vibrate against the surface of her bedside table. Reluctantly, she rolled over and reached for the pink device and scrutinized it. The small pixelated screen told her she’d just received a text message, and without really thinking, she flipped it open. When she saw the name of the contact, she nearly squealed again.

// _I apologize for departing without telling you, little badger. I didn’t want you to be caught in bed with me, should your parents or your sister have walked into the room._ //

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Dani agreed with a nod. She then sat up in bed and cross her legs, still covered by her comforter.

// _Its O.K. I’m just glad it wasn’t becuz of something I did_ //

// _Of course not. Nothing you do would ever make me leave you._ //

Her heart ached again.

She wanted to see him already. And after all, it was Sunday…

// _Hey so, would it b cool if we hung out today? Like, I go over 2 ur place, or we could sneak into a movie all invisible-like?_ //

All at once, she felt apprehensive. What if he was too busy? Was asking something like this inconsiderate? What if he had work to do today, for whatever reason? Vlad was a CEO after all, and she had no idea what all was involved in doing a job like that.

“I don’t want to be a distraction…”

Or worse yet, what if he didn’t want to?

The raven-haired teenager stared at her phone’s screen, dreading her mentor’s reply. That vital organ of hers drummed in her chest, causing it to feel tight. She swallowed, trying to keep herself together.

Because really, who comes completely undone over a text?

She did, apparently.

// _I would love to, darling._ //

“D-darling??” the half ghost heroine stammered in surprise. Did he seriously just type that?

Not that she minded, but it was strange, having someone call her that.

But more to the point---he said yes!

“Phew…”

// _Am I to assume this is a date?_ //  

“D-date?” she whispered to herself. They hadn’t even been going out for 24 hours, and here she was, asking him for a date? In truth, she didn’t think of it that way at all; the thought didn’t even enter her mind.

Evidently, she had already forgotten she had a boyfriend now.

“Wow, I’m slow,” she commented, rolling her eyes. She felt a little embarrassed, and she found herself feeling glad that Vlad wasn’t in the room with her.

// _I guess so_ //

// _My my, how bold >;)_//

“Oh no, he’s learning different emoticons!”

Damn him. Surely, he was being a perv again.

// _Just don’t get 2 confident. At first, I wasn’t even thinking about it as a date. I just wanted 2 spend time with u_ //       

// _None the less, this just proves you can’t be away from me. We’ve only been an item for 11 hours, and you’re already asking me on a date. It’s adorable, sweetheart._ //

“N-now it’s sweetheart??”

Her face had that familiar warmth to it again. The ghost girl thought then that if none of her supernatural enemies killed her, then Vlad’s blatant candor and sweet words just might.

// _Like I said, don’t get 2 confident. Arrogance isn’t a good look on u_ //

// _Now Danielle, what did I tell you about lying to me?_ //

“T-this guy!”

Was he so confident now that he felt it appropriate (or totally O.K.) to tease her like this? Was it because he finally had her now that he thought he could get away with being this cocky?

Well, what was she going to do back? And besides, he wasn’t entirely wrong---she liked it when he was self-assured, it meant he was comfortable. Moreover, he had been pining for her like she was pining for him, so she could imagine how elated he must be.

“I guess I should just let him have this,” she reasoned, a smile playing at her lips.

// _O.K. fine, ur rite. I just wanna b with u today_ //

// _I know, little badger, so do I._ //

// _Really? So, u don’t have things u need 2 do, like work?_ //

// _Yes, and no, I don’t have any work today. I’m not some workaholic shut in, Danielle :P_ //

She laughed.

Looks like he was really learning how to use emoticons. He’d even dropped the nose!

// _Yea, guess I had u pegged wrong_ //

// _Quite wrong._ //

// _So, wat do u wanna do?_ //

// _I don’t mind what it is, so long as it can to be with you._ //

Dani could have squeaked.

And she did.

“He’s such a Frootloop,” she said, her heart threatening to soar right out of her chest. Sure, he was being a bit corny, but it wasn’t so cringey when he actually meant it.

// _How about a trip 2 the mall? I heard there’s a new clothing store that’s supposed to have some really cool stuff_ //

// _Well, I’ve been meaning to visit a menswear store in order to pick up another leather jacket. The only one I owned had a large gash in the lining and it couldn’t be fixed._ //

// _That’s perfect then! But wat happened? 2 the jacket, I mean_ //

// _Natural wear and tear, I believe. It was at least five years ago._ //

// _5 years ago?! Nuh uh, we’re getting u 2 the mall, pronto!_ //

// _Well, I’m glad you’re so passionate about my lack of a leather jacket, but I must know, is it because you wish to see me in one?_ //

Dani stammered again, but this time, she couldn’t even make a comment to herself.

// _I dunno. 4 all I kno, u may look terrible in a leather jacket_ //

// _Something tells me you’ll be singing a different tune, little badger ;)_ //

She opened her mouth, making several undecipherable sounds, but found she was unable to throw any coherent syllables together.

// _Yea well, whatever. Frootloop -_-_ //

//^3^//

“D-did he just---?!”

Had he just send her a kissy face?!?!

Damn, he was good at this.

// _What time should we meet, and where? In front of the mall, perhaps?_ //

“Huh?” she asked, clearly still dazed by the kissy face.

// _Y can’t we meet at my place?_ //

// _Danielle, how would you explain that to your parents? I can’t just show up to your house out of the blue and tell Jack and Maddie that I’m there to take out their daughter._ //

“Oh yeah…duh.”

_Geez, I **must** be out of it. But then again, it’s not my fault! Vlad’s being so…well, cute and…just…whatever! _

// _Well, y can’t we meet at ur place?_ //

// _I suppose that wouldn’t be a problem, as long as you make your way here quickly._ //

// _Y do I need 2 b quick?_ //

// _Because I want to see you._ //

She giggled.

// _U got it!_ //

// _Alright, how about we leave at noon?_ //

// _Sure, that works 4 me!_ //

The ghost girl started to feel all giddy inside. She was actually going on a date with the man she loved! She could have squealed again.

So she did.

_I can’t believe it! Part of me wants to slow down to take all this in, but the other part of me doesn’t want to at all. It’s too exciting!_

Then she glanced at the rocket-shaped digital clock on her bed stand.

It read 11:15.

“Oh crap! I need to get ready!” she shouted, throwing the blanket off her and rushing over to her dressers, pulling out a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She would need to get a shower, so she figured she’d better be fast in selecting an outfit. But she **was** going on a date with Vlad, so shouldn’t she dress up a little? She wanted to look like prime girlfriend material, and she knew she wouldn’t if she showed up in her usual attire. No, she needed to glam up her look a bit.

But no make-up. That was crossing the line.

Pausing to look over her options, she made note of several articles of clothing that could potentially work: a few sweaters, a fluffy lavender one and two woolen ones, the first was black and other was periwinkle. In addition, the teenager had a plethora of jeans to choose from: dark, light, acid stained, etc.

For a good 30 seconds, her gaze switched between each of her sweaters, and in the end, she went with the periwinkle, pairing it with one of her light grey skinny jeans.

Racing over to her door, she grabbed her go-to pair of black converse and was about to book it to the bathroom when she received another text.

// _I look forward to seeing you, my darling ;)_ //

Smiling warmly, she leaned up against the paneling around her door. She decided to reply with a simple agreement, but then she had an interesting thought: if he was testing out some new pet names, then maybe she should give it a shot.

// _Me 2, sweetie_ //

She immediately felt like taking it back.

Especially when the businessman didn’t respond right away.  

“Oh my god, why did I send that?? He probably thinks I’m trying too hard or something!” she lamented as she threw her arm over her eyes, balling her hand into a nervous fist. Where had her earlier self-assurance go, now when she needed it most?

Then her phone vibrated.

“Oh man.”

Looking down, the younger half ghost steeled herself.

// _This is what I was talking about, you know, when I said you unknowingly seduce me. You’d be wise to watch yourself today >;)_//

“Ah…” Dani suddenly had the feeling that she’d awakening a slumbering beast, one that had a pension for being overly affectionate.

Her heart rate increased a bit.

// _I’m sorry…?_ //

// _Don’t be. I like it when you’re being this adorable. I can’t get enough._ //

She needed to calm herself down before replying again, mainly because she couldn’t think of what to say back. Although, how was one supposed to respond to a comment like that?

It was beyond her.

// _Well, I need 2 get ready. I’ll b at ur place in half an hour_ //

// _I eagerly await your arrival, sweetheart._ //

Closing her cell phone, Dani trotted to the bathroom with a goofy grin plastered on her youthful face. She couldn’t help it. The man she loved was being so affectionate with her, making her feel like the happiest girl in the world. Now she understood it, why so many people sought true love. Love made people feel so high, higher than any drug or extreme sport could hope to. It made people light, causing them to feel like they were walking on clouds or floating in the air. And she knew a thing or two about floating, and she had to admit, this feeling was **way** better. It was as if she were in another plane of existence, one where everything was perfect, heavenly. Her mood was the greatest it had ever been, and Dani couldn’t imagine how she managed to live so long without ever experiencing something this grand.

Well, O.K., she hadn’t been alive for all that long, but that wasn’t the point.

The young girl hugged her clothes close to her chest, releasing yet another giggle.

“I can’t wait for today.”

 

**********

 

Getting out of the house proved to be a tedious task. Once she had finished her shower, the ghost girl was cornered by each family member, each wanting to know if she was available for something or was just asking what she was up to. With her mom, Dani lied, telling her that she was going to see Tucker and Sam and would probably be out for most of the day. She then repeated this lie to Jack, who was wondering if she could help him with something pertaining to an invention he was working on.

The short answer was no.

Concerning Jazz, Dani felt bad about lying. After they had gotten so close, she had seen just how much happier her older sister was, just knowing that she trusted her a bit more---or so she thought. This isn’t to say the young heroine didn’t trust Jazz; quite the contrary, she trusted her more than she ever used to. Regardless, the blue-eyed teen didn’t know how the redhead would respond to her new relationship with Vlad. She could see that conversation going in a very bad direction.

After the Spectra incident, Tucker and Sam confessed to Jazz that Dani had a mentor of sorts, but they never specified who, believing that doing so would be unfair to the older billionaire. However, the raven-haired heroine knew that at some point, she would have to tell Jazz everything, just to clear the air. That, and she didn’t like lying to her after they had made peace with one another.

Nevertheless, when the 18-year-old asked where she was going, the young girl told her what she told her parents: “Just hanging out with Sam and Tucker. I don’t know when I’ll be home by, but I’ll make sure its before 10.”

When she finally managed to make it outside the door, Dani strolled down the street, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, before ducking behind a car and transforming into her ghost form. Then she took off into the light blue sky, jubilation and anticipation bouncing in her gut.

“I wonder if Vlad’s ever been in a mall that was more ordinary? I bet he always went to upscale, bourgeois-type malls made out of marble or gold or something.”

The thought was funny enough, but her carefree tone belied a growing unease. What if the Amity Park Mall was too plain for him? What if he couldn’t find what he was looking for? Would he even be able to enjoy himself?

She shook her head. Having such doubts wouldn’t do her any good. They would only serve to drive her into a mental spiral---one she didn’t need at this moment. Above all, she wanted to be able to appreciate this day. It was her first date with the charming business mogul, and she didn’t want it to be spoiled by her own foolish uncertainties. Moreover, she was probably overthinking things again. In all honesty, she most likely had nothing to worry about.

“That’s right, Dani, time to train yourself out of having these thoughts! If I just start thinking more positively, then I should be over this in no time!”

Indeed, for what good did having those thoughts do her anyway? They always put her in a sad mood, made her feel guilty for even entertaining the contrary, and 100% of the time, her doubts were unfounded anyway. In essence, she was wasting her time!

No more; no longer would she allow her insecurities to guide her thinking. No longer would she give in to typical adolescent fears and anxieties, and no longer would the half ghost heroine let the opinions of others influence her decisions. She wasn’t going to listen to that nagging voice in her head anymore, the one that enabled all those things. Dani Fenton was going to live her own life the way she wanted, not letting her own or anyone else’s negativity to interfere with that.

Then Mayor’s Grove came into view, and the young girl immediately felt like aborting. After all, why risk a potentially disappointing mall trip (at least, on Vlad’s end) when they could just stay in his lavish house and watch classic romance movies instead?

_Whatever. I’ll get there at some point._

Sighing, Dani descended to the older man’s lawn, making use of the mustang in the drive way as a cover to transform back. As she walked over to the porch, she had a choice to make: phase in through the front door, or ring the doorbell?

Both had merit. In the first case, she could get to see her mentor faster, and relish in his company for a few extra seconds. However, ringing the doorbell would allow the anticipation to build, making the eventual meeting all the greater. In summary, the real decision to make was: instant gratification, or well rewarded patience?

Then again, she was a teenager.

The answer was obvious.

The girl jumped unto the porch and phased right through the front door, suddenly being captured in warm arms. Her face was pressed against a grey trench coat, the linen and cotton soft to the touch. Gazing up, Dani made note of a fluffy black scarf, as well as the kind smile looking down at her. She nearly gasped, for the businessman’s expression was enough to render her speechless; it was warm, loving, and sweeter than any pie. The billionaire’s eyes glowed with adoration, taking in every last inch of Dani’s youthful features. It was akin to the way one would gaze upon a puppy, just as tender and protective.

Once again, the young heroine felt like her heart was about to burst.

“Why hello, Danielle,” Vlad said, warmth leaking from his tone.

“H-hi…” she replied, her face adopting a quaint shade of pink.

“Just couldn’t be without me for another second, could you?” he asked, cocking his head.

“I-I just wanted to see you…is all…” the teenager insisted as she looked at the floor.

“I know,” he began, leaning down. “So did I.”

His lips touched hers so lightly, it was almost as if they weren’t touching at all. But after a few seconds, Dani felt his mouth caress hers in full, nearly zapping the strength out of her legs. He went left, and she went right, with her grasping the older half ghost’s lapel and pulling herself into the kiss. In turn, the older man’s grip on her tightened, hugging her somehow closer to him. His hold was absolute; there was no room to move or escape, but this was the last thing on the teenager’s mind. In fact, the only thing she could think about was just how good it felt to be kissed in such a way---gentle, but with hints of underlying desire. She felt it, and she was sure Vlad did too.

His arm came up around her shoulders, and his other drifted down to the small of her back, wrapping around it so his hand was just above her hip. The feeling of his arms moving up and down her body ignited Dani’s core, causing her to suppress a moan.

There was no way she was going to ruin this moment with a moan.

No way in hell.

Just like with the first kiss, this was special in its own right. The urges, the sexual drives were subtle, making the moment purer, brimming with innocent affections.

The ghost girl relaxed her shoulders (since they had tensed up when Vlad had leaned down), and slowly slid her arms up and around his neck. This was, of course, to get better balance, but apparently the tycoon liked this because the arm that cradled her shoulders drifted upward and soon he was cupping the back of the younger half ghost’s head, taking her into the kiss even further.

Then, more suddenly that one may blink, the girl felt a tongue slide into her mouth.

A startled grunt sounded from her throat, making Vlad pull away, but only by a few inches.

“Forgive me, little badger. It seems that around you, my inhibitions have a habit of flying out the window.”

“I-it’s O.K.,” the raven-haired heroine responded, trying to gather herself. “I was just startled.”

“Even so, I promised myself I would continue to hold back, and I intend to do so,” he declared, leaning further away until he was standing up straight. “You’ve never been kissed before, so its only natural that you’d have this reaction.”

“B-but it wasn’t bad! I was just…you know…”

“Of course,” he stated with a nod, smiling down at her once again.

“I want to get better at this type of stuff, so you won’t have to deal with someone so…childish,” the teenager explained, staring at her mentor’s chest.

“I don’t mind, Danielle, really,” he comforted. “You don’t need to try so hard. In time, I’ll have you acquainted with **everything**.”

_Why do I get the feeling that “everything” may be the end of me?_

Just the thought of what “everything” could be made her face even redder.

“You shouldn’t rush, sweetheart,” Vlad added, kissing her forehead.

She giggled. “O.K.”

“Like I said, you’ll be introduced to these things gradually, so don’t worry about being ‘childish’. After all, it’s to be expected, since you’ve never had any intimate experiences before.”

“And weirdly enough, I’m actually really glad about that,” she started, resting her cheek against the billionaire’s broad ribcage and embracing him. “‘Cause I don’t wanna do this kind of thing with anyone else.”

“Indeed, my love, and I am quite happy about that as well,” the business mogul said in a near whisper, placing a warm hand atop her head and ruffling her hair.

If Dani was a cat, she would’ve been purring. Truly, nothing was better than being in the arms of her beloved. She reasoned then that this was her favorite place to be, right smack-dap in the middle of Vlad’s sturdy hold.

“In any case,” he began. “We should get going. Wouldn’t want to waste our first date loitering about my foyer.”

“But somehow, something tells me you wouldn’t mind that, huh?”

He offered his pupil a sultry smirk. “No, not really.”

But even he understood that there was a certain structure to these things. For instance, when two people are first going out, sexual acts should be kept to a minimum until the appropriate time. Though the older half ghost knew that this varied from couple to couple, he wanted to make absolutely sure that his little badger was completely comfortable moving forward. No matter how much he wanted to carry off to his bedroom, he wanted his protégé to feel safe---he didn’t want to scare her off.

And now that he had her, he was going to do everything in his power to keep her.

No matter the cost.

Of course, this didn’t mean he couldn’t tease her from time to time. In fact, he felt that **not** doing so would make his situation a whole lot harder. In other words, teasing was the only way he could cope with his desires, for now. The silver-haired half ghost knew that eventually, his patience would be handsomely rewarded.

And he couldn’t wait.

“Now then, shall we?” he asked, gesturing toward the door with his arm.

“Uh huh!”   

 

*********  

 

With Halloween over, the child-friendly decorations of Amity Park Mall were noticeably absent from is halls and shop fronts. Rather, in their place was an assortment of various Holiday decorations. Giant wreaths hung on the outside windows, with smaller ones placed in suitable locations inside the building. Large stars huge from the vaulted ceiling in the center of the main floor, with an Enormous Christmas Tree being set up just underneath them. A golden garland ran around the railing on the second floor, as well as around smaller stairwells and potted plants. And finally, in all of the shop windows were pictures of Santa, trees, reindeer, elves, and other Christmas related images. In addition, a few stores even had menorahs and dreidels on their windows.

Many clothing stores were already having their annual Holiday sales, and several eateries were selling Christmas-themed sweets and confectionaries. With the smells of sugar and sweet-scented candles wafting throughout the building, it was hard not to be in the Holiday spirit.

Despite the fact that it wasn’t even Thanksgiving yet.

The young heroine gazed at all the stores and booths that sported these decorations, thinking just that. For her, it was unfair to throw aside such an important holiday, one that encouraged gratefulness and family, just to make a quick buck by jumping right into the Christmas racket.

But she also understood why. Businesses were all about money.

_Still though, hardly seems fair._

She caught sight of a video game store, which was decked out in Holiday stickers and red n’ green lights. In the window, she saw one of the most anticipated releases of that year, sitting on a pedestal like a holier-than-thou artifact. It wasn’t for sale just yet, but it looked like the store was trying to get people excited by putting it on display.

And it was working, at least for Dani.

Tucker had been raving about thos game since its announcement and swore she would buy it as soon as it hit the shelves. The ghost girl, however, had different plans; she was going to buy it herself and give it to the computer geek for Christmas.

She walked over to the window, placing her hands and face to the glass. Even if she wasn’t fond of the holiday, she knew Tucker was, and she didn’t want to be a grinch about it. In the past, she always allowed her frustration over her parents’ bickering to ruin her Christmas, but this year she vowed to make an effort to be happier. Who knew, maybe this year would be different?

She sure hoped so.

“What are you looking at, Danielle?” the older man asked, turning to her.

“See that game? I’m gonna get it for Tucker. She’s been looking forward to it for over a year, and I can’t wait to see the look on her face when I give it to her,” she explained in elation. Just the image of the geek’s glee was enough to give Dani the warm fuzzies.

“That’s awfully kind of you,” he stated, leaning down to get a better look at the game in question. “But its rather pricey.”

“That’s ‘cause it’s new, but that doesn’t matter. I’ve been saving up for it.”

“But what about you? Shouldn’t you be saving up your allowance for something you want?” he asked genuinely.

“I was, but I know Tucker will really appreciate this. Besides, she just spent **her** allowance on a new upgrade for her PDA, so she can’t afford the game.”

“Sounds like she should have budged her money more efficiently,” the tycoon remarked, raising an eyebrow at the game behind the glass.

“Maybe, but I wanna do this for her. I know I could just ask Sam, but I don’t wanna be that person. I don’t want to be that person that always goes to their rich friend whenever they want to buy something kind of expensive.”

The billionaire gazed at his little badger. Though his expression was neutral, he was truly inspired by her words, Here was a girl that had money to spend on herself, but she didn’t want to, even had a rich friend she could turn to, but didn’t want to. Hell, she had **him** , but it was obvious she wasn’t going to ask him to help her pay for it either. He would have, without hesitation, but Vlad knew she wouldn’t ask him. No, she was much too good a person to do that. Dani did everything to avoid being a burden on others, even when she didn’t need to.

The business mogul smiled tenderly.

_It seems that I’m still in awe of her intentions, no matter how often I’m around her. She never fails to surprise me._

He placed a warm hand on her shoulder and looked into her baby blue orbs. When she turned, their eyes locked, and Dani felt her heart skip a beat. Her youthful features were blanketed in red and she quickly averted her gaze. Vlad gave a low chuckle, and patted her shoulder before removing his hand. Then he started walking away, making the young girl follow after him like a duckling after its momma.

Strolling side by side, Dani glanced up at her mentor, making note of how his mature features seemed to glow under the soft afternoon lighting. He was truly gorgeous, with the way his silver hair shone in the autumn sunlight, and how it swayed from side to side as he walked. It was also in his eyes, how they looked straight ahead, so focused and diligent. Even while performing such mundane tasks, the older man was always so disciplined. Plus, their cool shade of navy was a nice touch, too.

To Dani, Vlad was beautiful, both in appearance, and in how he conducted himself. He always walked with such confidence, such authority, that it was hard to not take him seriously. The older half ghost was also poised, graceful, never stepping wrong or acting clumsy. It was as if he was taught how to walk by a model.

Heck, he even dressed like one.

He was like a mannequin from Nordstrom or Neiman Markus.

Feeling her face go hot again, she looked away, only for her eyes to swerve back up at him. She really couldn’t get enough of him.

_Although, if anyone saw me staring at him like this, they may become suspicious._

Shaking her head, Dani attempted to rid herself of any signs of her previous ogling. No need to have anyone get wise to what was going on with her and the charming older man. This relationship had just started, and the half ghost heroine wasn’t about to let it fall apart because **she** couldn’t control herself.

Gotta maintain a casual front in public---that was the most important thing.

Though this meant she wouldn’t be able to hold his hand, which she realized upon seeing it as it hung at his side. Dani wanted to---even longed for the opportunity when she was still unaware of his feelings, and she still did now. It was rather ironic, that even though she was finally with the man she loved, she wasn’t at liberty to do as she pleased with him. At least, not out in the open.

But at the moment, she didn’t mind. She just wanted to be at his side. Perhaps later she would cross that bridge, but right now she was just happy to share this day with him at all.

Vlad noticed his dear one looking at him, and his heart felt warm. He reasoned that she must have been secretly gawking at him while trying to be discreet about it. The silver-haired billionaire was delighted at this, seeing his sweet little badger looking at him and only him. Yes, this was the way it was supposed to be, with her at his side, watching him as he was watching her; desiring him as he was desiring her.

“It’s interesting, you know,” he said with a eyes-closed smile.

“What is?”

“How something so simple could make me feel this exalted,” he replied, opening his eyes again. “Just being here with you…it’s a joy that I never expected to be this exhilarating. I feel as if I can do anything, be anything and go anywhere.”

Once again, the teenager’s face was bright red. “But…can’t you do anything already? I mean, you **are** rich.”

“Perhaps, but the thrill, the optimism, was never there. Now, I feel like I’m on the edge of something truly glorious,” he proclaimed, sending another tender smile her way.

The girl looked at him in complete awe. It never failed to surprise her just how blunt he could be. But, naturally, she didn’t really mind. Sure, it was embarrassing to hear, but it made her heart thump and soar at the same time, and she never wanted him to stop.

“Well…I-I feel the same way, too…” she admitted, averting her eyes to the polished floor.

He chuckled again. It was a sound she never got tired of hearing. “It seems we’re on the same page.”

“Yup.”

“I hope to always do things like this with you, Danielle,” he stated with honey in his tone.

“M-me too,” she responded shyly.

When the girl looked at him again, his gaze was forward once more, but his smile still lingered. She smiled too, and then looked in the same direction. The happiness she felt was indescribable. She had, for three months, been longing to hear Vlad say these things to her, and now he was!

Suppressing a giggle, Dani eyed the entrance to Macy’s located at the end of the hall to their right. If the billionaire was looking for a nice, expensive leather jacket, then this would be a good place to start.

“Hey Vlad, maybe we should look over there?” she suggested, pointing in the direction of the department store.

“Usually I go straight to the brand name stores, but this might do,” he said as he cupped his chin.

“Wh-what, seriously??” the teenager asked in shock. “You really are a spoiled rich kid, aren’t you?”

“Actually, I wasn’t born into privilege,” he stated as he began walking towards Macy’s.

“You weren’t?” the young girl inquired, following her mentor. “But I can’t imagine you **not** being surrounded by wealth and really expensive stuff.”

“Well, that was the case. I wasn’t rich growing up, not at all.”

“Really?”

“Indeed.”

Now that was an image: Vlad living in a normal house, wearing inexpensive clothes and driving a car that wasn’t a mustang. It was a foreign picture to be sure, but not one that Dani dismissed as a falsehood. If he didn’t grow up rich, then perhaps they had some more things in common, besides the whole half-ghost thing. Maybe he knew what it was like to not be able to afford something you really want but having to wait for it, or basically not being able to get it at all. Or perhaps he understood what it was like to go to public school, and eat mundane or ordinary meals that weren’t served on plates made of fine china.

“I didn’t know that about you,” she said, looking at him with interest. “So it sounds like our backgrounds are kinda similar.”

“With regard to economic status, yes,” he replied.

“I wonder what else about our lives are the same? Did you hang out with friends all the time? Were your parents kinda weird too?”

The tycoon furrowed his brow. “I don’t think you’d be very interested in my childhood, Danielle.”

“What do you mean? Of course I’m interested! I wanna hear all about it!” she said excitedly.

“I fail to understand your fascination with something so mundane.”

“Your past isn’t mundane! At least, not to me,” she admitted, her face feeling warm. “I just wanna get to know you more, that’s all. I don’t know really anything about your childhood.”

“And you’ll have to forgive me, but that’s the way it’s going to stay,” he declared, shoving his hands into the pockets of his trench coat.

“What, why? It’s not like I’m prying or anything…”

“My past is something that I don’t wish revisit. That’s just the way it is.”

The atmosphere around the older half ghost was no longer warm, but cold and standoffish. His face, which was once kind and sweet, was now distant. Clearly, something had changed, and this made Dani feel uncomfortable. Was the past really something of a sort spot with Vlad? What happened that was so negative that he didn’t want to talk about it at all? And wasn’t it a little unfair that he knew more about her past than she knew about his?

Sure, if he didn’t want her to push the matter, she should (and would) respect his request, but the ghost girl couldn’t help but see it as unfair.

Although, she felt a bit guilty about bringing something up that was obviously a sore topic for the businessman. She never intended to make him feel unhappy, but how was she to know?

But for her, that didn’t matter. She still caused him discomfort.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

“For what?”

“For bringing up something that’s hard for you to discuss.”

“It’s quite alright, it’s not like you knew in the first place,” he reassured, once again smiling at her. It was clear that he didn’t want her to feel bad.

“I know, but…”

“Danielle,” he said, his tone firm but not in a scolding way.

“Hmm?”

He stopped, turning fully in Dani’s direction. She stopped too, and Vlad lifted her chin and looked deeply into her baby blues.

“Don’t worry about it. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

The girl’s heart skipped at beat and her gut felt tight. The way he looked at her was so overwhelming, so full of assurance and care. He didn’t want her to blame herself, to not feel bad over something that wasn’t----at least in his book---that big a deal. And perhaps he was right.

Truly, he was the kindest man in the entire world.

“O-O.K.,” she stammered, diverting her gaze to a potted plant down the hall.

He chuckled, and kissed her forehead. The unexpected display of affection caught the poor thing off guard, causing her to jump. This made the man laugh amusedly.

“V-vlad!”

“What, do I need to warn you every time I intend to kiss you?”

“N-no, it’s just---we’re in public! What if someone saw that?”

“Don’t fret, little badger, no one’s around. Besides, I don’t really mind **who** sees. It would demonstrate to them that you belong to me,” he proclaimed with a smirk.

In response, the heroine stammered profusely, her eyes wide and her cheeks as red as the dawn.

The billionaire winked, and then continued on his way toward the department store. After a couple of seconds to gather herself, Dani trailed after him, both embarrassed and thrilled at his words.

 

**********

 

For about an hour, the two half ghosts wandered about the store and looked at the selection of winter apparel and accessories. Sweaters, leggings, jackets, beanies---all of it was on display and ready to be purchased. Dani had spotted a brown leather jacket with a faux-fur collar, and it appeared to be made of fine quality. The price tag seemed to conform this, but the teenager couldn’t help but wonder if the number of zeros was simply because to the brand, and not what the coat was made out of.

In the end, Vlad went with an all-black Ralph Lauren jacket, which also had a price tag that made Dani nearly faint. It never really dawned on her just how loaded the man was, but upon seeing him buy a $650.00 jacket like it was dental floss from a drug store, she finally understood.

It really put things into perspective.

He could buy anything he wanted. Hell, he could buy an entire island, or maybe a whole block of New York City.

Although, he may have already bought an island.

After the transaction went through, the couple walked out of the store, with the billionaire carrying a Macy’s bag in his left hand and gazing at his protégé.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything?”

“I-I’m sure, thank you!” she exclaimed. While they were still in there, the older man kept insisting on purchasing something for her, and she kept refusing every time. Sure, there were some really splendid things in that store, but there was no way Dani could justify her mentor buying something for her that was outrageously pricey. What would she tell her parents?

“Well, if you ever change you mind, we can always come back---”

“Yup yup, sure thing, I’ll keep that in mind!”

He laughed. “You almost sound as if I’m forcing something horrible on you.”

“N-No, that’s not it…”

“I know, Danielle,” he stated warmly, patting her on the head. “You can’t fathom owning something worth more than what your parents make in a year. I understand your apprehension, and I’m not trying to force you to accept my generosity. If anything, your turning me down means that you’re not wasteful or greedy.”

“I just…I don’t know where I would put something that costs over $100.00. I mean, I feel like my closet isn’t worthy of having something like that in it.”

He laughed again, and it was truly heartwarming. He found her comment genuinely funny, and he expressed his amusement openly. Vlad sounded so happy, just like when he had laughed at the reunion. It reminded Dani of a time when she wasn’t completely aware of her feelings, but looking back, she now understood that she had loved him all along.

Without really thinking, the young heroine laced her arm through Vlad’s, hugging his strong appendage firmly but not too tightly. She leaned into him, smiling from ear to ear. The older man was surprised by her boldness, especially given her earlier reaction to his kiss. His heart thumped in his chest as the butterflies in his gut erupted to life. It was still so interesting to him how she could make him feel this way, like a teenager in love. The older half ghost was sure this feeling would never fade, and he sincerely hoped his pupil felt the same way. He wanted her to experience the same kind of happiness he was feeling, and to be the one to give it to her. He wanted her to believe that this warmth, this bliss would never disappear, and if she didn’t for whatever reason, he wanted to assure her that it wouldn’t.

They were forever, and he wanted her to understand that.

“I know this isn’t very smart, but I just want to be like this for a while,” the ghost girl admitted, lightly squeezing Vlad’s arm with her own.

“It’s alright, Danielle, like I said before, there isn’t anyone around.”

“Yeah, the mall’s not to busy today. There’s only a few people wandering around,” Dani noted, observing the immediate area.

“Quite, so there isn’t anything to worry about, pumpkin,” he reiterated.

The raven-haired heroine blushed, and gazed at her shoes. Then she remembered their text conversation earlier that morning, and felt her face get even hotter.

Vlad had warned her to watch herself around him, given that he was liable to pull something, and now she was wondering if hugging him like this was only adding fuel to the lust-infused fire.

But then again, did she even really mind?

“Hey, how come you’re calling me all those things, like, ‘pumpkin’ and ‘darling’?” she asked shyly.

“Does it bother you? Because if that’s the case I can stop---”

“I-it’s not that…I’m just not used to it, and you already call me ‘little badger’ anyway, so…”

Vlad’s blinked. “Ahhh, so it makes you feel uncomfortable.”

“B-but I don’t mind! Like it said, I’m just not used to it.”

“Are you sure? I’m more than happy to stop if you want me to,” he offered, looking at her with sincerity.

“No, it’s O.K. You don’t have to,” the half ghost heroine replied, trying to conceal her pink features.

“In truth, I may be acting a bit selfishly,” the older billionaire admitted.

“Huh?”

“I’ve always wanted someone I could call ‘darling’, and for the longest time that was your mother. But now, it’s you, and once you confessed your feelings for me I believed I was at liberty to call you as such. I started doing so without giving any thought to your reaction, and for that I apologize.”

“It’s O.K.! I really, **really** don’t mind, honest! I’ve never been in a relationship before so I was---well, still am---caught off guard,” she insisted.

“I know, but I should have taken that into consideration.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re being so considerate,” she said, closing her eyes and leaning a little further into her mentor. “You’re always so considerate.”

“I am?” he asked, a bit puzzled.

Dani opened her eyes again. “Yeah! You’ve always been looking out for me and accommodating me. You’re a considerate person Vlad, and that’s one of the reasons why I…well…fell for you.”

The look on the tycoon’s face just screamed perplexity.

_A considerate person? Me? I wouldn’t describe myself as considerate, and its only natural that I accommodate Danielle, was well as watch over her. I love her, so to act differently would make no sense. Moreover, wouldn’t a considerate person be more accommodating for the people around them? If you only do so for one person, could you really be a considerate yourself?_

As they continued walking through the mall, it caught their attention that more and more people were roaming about, so they had to separate. Dani felt a bit sad, and Vlad did too, but even he knew what was at stake if his little badger was seen acting intimately with him in public. After all, Amity Park was a small city and gossip traveled fast.

They neared an electronic store, and in the window were several TVs, all queued into the same local news station. At first, neither of the half ghosts paid them any mind, until Dani Phantom was mentioned.

Stopping, the two looked at the televisions, seeing one of the city council members delivering an impassioned speech about the ghost girl, proclaiming her to be a danger to everyone in the city. According to him, Amity Park wasn’t safe with her around---that her presence attracted evil ghosts rather than deterred them.

He mentioned Ember’s concert, Desiree’s wish-granting rampage, and many of the previous ghostly sightings as proof of his assertion, to which Vlad scoffed.

“What a foolish moron. He does not know what you truly do for this town.”

“Hey, it’s not that bad. I mean, it blows that he’s saying those things about me, but it’s nothing to get bent out of shape about,” she stated reassuringly.

Then the councilman went on to mention Dani Phantom’s partner, the “ _malevolent-looking ghost that appeared to have crawled out of a pit of suspicion and darkness, and was, frankly, just downright creepy_ ”.

“Hey! Not cool!” she shouted, glaring indigently at the screen behind the glass.

The silver-haired tycoon glanced at her. “I thought this was nothing to get bent out of shape about?”

“Well, he just insulted you!” the young heroine stated, frustration evident in her tone. “Doesn’t he know that you helped save this city too? And your ghost form isn’t ‘downright creepy’, it’s really cool!”

“I don’t think he sees me any differently than you, Danielle,” the billionaire started. “It seems that this man is of the opinion that we are just as much of a threat as the ghosts we fight.”

The girl crossed her arms. “Well he’s a prick.”

Vlad smiled. “Yes, that he is.”

“ _The ghost girl is the one responsible for bringing all these ghosts to our fair city, but should she be eradicated, then we shall be rid of these disturbing creatures and the trouble they cause. What we need are capable ghost hunters to aid us in this mission, which is why I am personally offering a million dollars to the person or persons that capture this supernatural menace and bring her reign of terror to an end!_ ” 

Cheering could be heard from the crowd off camera, and this served to annoy the older half ghost all the more.

“He’s merely setting himself up for re-election, the sniveling worm.”

“I think I recognize him, he’s one of the richest men in Amity Park,” the raven-haired teen recalled. “He runs the Axion Lab branch here.”

“ **Did** , if I have anything to say about it,”

“Huh?”

Vlad was now in charge of the Axion Labs corporation, so he was going to see to it that this man was hastily fired. No one said such slanderous things about his dear little badger.

No one.

Unfortunately, the crowd was eating it up, and seemed to be in full support of this paranormal man hunt.

Or in this case, girl hunt.

“Look, Vlad, it’s no big deal, I’m sure this will all blow over in a couple of days,” the girl assured, placing a hand on his arm.

“I wish I could be certain of that,” he replied honestly, narrowing his eyes at the TV.

Then the televisions switched to something else---something pertaining to sports from the looks of it, and the two half ghosts starting heading for the mall’s exit. As the tycoon attempted to calm down, Dani watched all the strangers go by. Now that it was a little later in the day, people were flooding into the mall to get some last-minute weekend shopping done.

However, Dani’s mind was far from the crowds. Rather, she was preoccupied by what she and Vlad had seen. True, she believed it was nothing to worry about, but she couldn’t help but ponder the reality that she now had a million-dollar bounty on her head. She never really thought she was worth a million dollars, but perhaps she should take it as a complement. After all, that councilman must be truly desperate to get rid of her if he was offering a million of his **own** money. Maybe he saw her as a pretty powerful ghost?

She knew that this wasn’t how Vlad saw it, so she decided to keep it to herself. He was actually angry about this, and worried on her behalf. He didn’t understand how people could see her as anything **but** a hero, and he certainly didn’t like her life being the subject of a ghost hunt.

He was pretty incensed when Skulker tried to hunt her, so it was no surprise that he was this mad now.

_Then again, Vlad was the one who put me in that situation, but that’s not the point. He’s really worried about me, and he’s probably gonna be a little over protective for a while._

An over protective Vlad. What would that look like?

It was an intriguing thought to be sure. Would he be protective, but not overbearing, or would he be protective **and** overbearing? He was definitely capable of being the latter, if his actions while under Desiree’s influence were any indicator. He also admitted to being possessive at times, so there was that to consider as well.

Even if this supposed hunt was to come to fruition, Dani believed that it would be alright. After all, she could handle herself just fine, and the people that would be hunting her would be human, so fighting them would be easy. Plus, she had Vlad, who would no doubt end the hunt before it even began.

She just hoped he wouldn’t kill anyone.

The heroine gazed up at her mentor as they walked out of the mall. She noted that he appeared to be calm again.

“So how about lunch?” she asked. “While I was getting ready this morning I was hoping we could go someplace.”

He smiled down at her. “I would love that, sweetheart.”

She giggled, and as they made their way across the parking lot the ghost girl clung to his arm once more. The man could do nothing but stare at her tenderly. Her adorableness seemed to have left him at a loss for words. However, at the back of his mind, he knew that her smile---nay---her very being could be in danger of fading into nothing. He needed to protect her, to keep her from harm as much as possible for the foreseeable future. Maybe the councilman’s proclamation would amount to nothing, but the business mogul couldn’t be too sure. Ghost hunters tended to be human, but with the advancements in ghost hunting technology, Dani could end up in serious trouble.

_Never. I will never allow anyone to hurt my dear little love. If someone wished to harm her, they would suffer the severe, very painful consequences._  

“I know a great place to go!” the girl enthused, knocking Vlad out of his thoughts.

“Pardon?”

“For lunch! I know where we should go! I know you’re probably not ready for something as ordinary as the Nasty Burger, but I know a great Italian place not too far from here that’s really good, but not to hard on the wallet.”

“Well, I look forward to it. Tell me, this is restaurant a part of the itinerary that you had planned for me?”

“Yeah, actually. How did you know?” she asked, cocking her head.

“I didn’t, it was just a conjecture.”

“Oh. Well anyway, they have this delicious spaghetti and meatballs and an **amazing** seafood alfredo! I can just taste it now!” she stated with a dreamy look in her eye.

He chuckled. “From the sound of it, it would be a crime **not** to go.”

“Then hurry up!” she urged, skipping ahead and dragging his arm. “My mouth is already watering!”

“Alright alright, just be patient,” he replied with an amused grin. His little badger was simply too much.

He pulled out his keys as they neared the mustang, and when the older man looked back at Dani, he couldn’t help but feel warm. He was going out on a date with the girl he loved, and she was just as happy about this outing as he was. She was beaming, with that radiant smile and those lively blue eyes of hers that pulled him in. Her jubilation made her sparkle, and each and every time he saw it, it made him for in love with her over and over again. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. AM. SO SORRY!!!! I'm so sorry for letting this go for so long! Since the start of semester, things in school have been a little nuts, and during winter break I was starting to have serious doubts and insecurites regarding this work. I also lost a pet in late January, so that was really hard on me. But I've finally gotten my shit together and am now official back! I hope to post an update once every month and once summer vacation comes I hope that rate will increase (depends on my work situation). Anyway, thank you all for being so patient, and I promise you will be handsomely rewarded.

The restaurant was quaint, but hardly awe-inspiring or mystifying. The food was average, though Vlad had come to expect his little protégé to exaggerate things of this sort, either due to her really liking the establishment or because she was a teenager. After all, it was a common habit of a teen to overstate something or be overly dramatic.

In this case, it would appear it was because the young heroine was quite fond of the family-style Italian restaurant.

Though the older man didn’t complain. He didn’t hate the food. On the contrary, he found it to be satisfactory. Frankly, he was just happy to see his little badger so pleased, so cheerful. She was too much, with her beaming grin and those lively and sparkling eyes, which came to life every time she took a bite of her plate of seafood alfredo.

The billionaire smiled tenderly at Dani throughout the entire meal, sighing to himself every so often. How had he gotten so lucky? What did he do to deserve this sweet, adorable girl? Surely, he must have pleased God in some way, or maybe it was just fate dealing him a kind hand? It would be a welcomed reward, considering everything he had been put through over the years.

But now, those lonely, dark, dreadful times were behind him, and he could finally move forward with the girl he loved so dearly.

There was so much he wanted to do, to experience with her. He wanted to take her all over the world---to see that beautiful sparkle return to her eyes. He wanted to show her all the luxuries he had at his disposal, and he wanted to shower his dear one with all the care and affection he could.

But his desires weren’t quite as abstract as that. Vlad had specific things he wished to do with her, things he knew she would enjoy too. For instance, he knew she longed to visit as many NASA locations as possible, and he fully intended on taking her to each and every one of them. Money, obviously, wasn’t an issue.

The tycoon also aimed to experience more of the mundane, or rather, the more usual activities that couples indulged in. Though he was a hard man to please, just the mere thought of doing something as simple as cuddling by a fire or walking hand-in-hand in a park made Vlad feel like a giddy child. The older half ghost anticipated (with a very warm heart) anything and everything couples did, from the ordinary, to the extravagant, to the steamy. To him, it was all the same. Any moment he got to spend with his little love was automatically a great one.

He humored telling her all this in the restaurant, but he decided against it. Sure, he would have **loved** to see her flustered expression, but he didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable in public. That could wait for when they were alone.

The older man planned to tell her at some point; he wanted to be truthful with her. Holding back a dream, an ambition like that was pointless in his eyes---why hide it? Even if it was a bit “corny” or “cheesy”, he wanted her to know just how deep his love for her was, and such declarations would be irrefutable proof. Plus, Vlad just wanted to tell her over and over again how much he cared about her, now that he could.

The man had no filter; he didn’t need one any longer. He could be just as candid as he wanted, provided he employ the proper language. After all, he still needed to hold back just a little, but there were ways of expressing his deepest desires without turning Danielle into an embarrassed mess. He just needed to be a tad bit delicate with his words.

It was a test of sorts, a challenge. And oh, did he enjoy a good challenge.

Although, this was a game he wouldn’t mind abstaining from if he could.

_It would be most wonderous if Danielle was in a state where she could be comfortable with my advances and sexual bravado, but that isn’t the case. Moreover, I made the decision to hold back for her sake, all on my own accord, and I will keep to my word._

And in the end, he didn’t mind at all. He **wanted** her to be comfortable with him. Ultimately, her well being was his biggest, his **only** priority. His own desires and aching could, and would, wait.

It was even more imperative now, seeing as his little badger had a million-dollar bounty on her head. She had told him it was most likely nothing to worry about, but Vlad wasn’t so sure. He could feel it, in the pit of his stomach: a sense of foreboding. Normally, Vlad was not one to expect the worse, but now it seemed it was a regular occurrence. Whenever it regarded Danielle, his concerns built up in his very core, and his mind refused to humor anything other than what some nefarious people may have in store for her. Would they try to hurt her? Would they attempt to kill her? Or worse yet, would they try to **touch** her?

The other day’s incident with Freakshow was bad enough, but what could possible follow it? Vlad didn’t wish to dwell on the matter, but because of his love for her, he couldn’t let well enough alone.

He would protect her, no matter what.

And that was that.

With his thoughts solely on his dear little love, Vlad failed to notice the end of the sidewalk and nearly walked into the street. Luckily, there weren’t any cars, but all at once he felt a sharp tug of his arm. Being pulled backward, as well as out of his thoughts, he looked down to see Dani hugging his forearm and wearing a startled expression.

“Vlad! You need to be more careful! What if there was traffic?”

“Ah…yes, you’re right, my apologies Danielle,” he responded, bewilderment etched into his features. How could he be so careless? Not only did his feelings cause him to see the worst, but they also distracted him. Of course, this was nothing new, as he had already become aware of this during Ember’s concert. None the less, he needed to get a hold of himself. He couldn’t exactly protect her if he ended up dead.

“At least there wasn’t anyone there,” Dani sighed, relaxing her shoulders and loosening her grip on the older man. “But seriously, stop daydreaming about football or whatever and pay attention to where you’re going!”

He smirked. “What makes you think I was thinking about football?”

The girl blinked several times before looking away, obviously embarrassed at the idea of him thinking about her. But he knew that she liked it. It was as plain as the blush on her face.

“Well…anyway,” she began nervously, attempting to get her bearings. “I had a lot of fun today.”

“As did I, little badger,” Vlad stated, guiding her as they crossed the street. Since no one was in sight, Dani maintained her hold on the tycoon’s arm.

“I can’t wait to do this again,” she admitted, gazing intently at the ground. No way was she going to look him in the eye and say that. No way.

“Indeed,” he replied, looking down at her again and chuckled lowly at her evasion. “You’re quite cute when you’re shy, Danielle.”

She squirmed. “W-well…then I’m about to get even cuter.”

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, the younger half ghost stood on her tippy toes and planted a quick kiss on Vlad’s cheek. After she touched the ground again, Dani shut her eyes in embarrassment. 

It was a good thing they were no longer in the cross walk.

The billionaire stood there, utterly unmoving. His face bore a look of astonishment, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

“I-I’ve wanted to do that all day,” she confessed clumsily, turning her face away from him. It felt as hot as the sun, and the poor thing was beginning to wonder if maybe she shouldn’t have done that. Now, Vlad’s warning about unknowingly seducing him was swimming around in her mind, making her heart rate increase.

_Well, except this wasn’t “unknowingly”, since I actually **meant** to do it. _

The older half ghost gazed at his protégé, heart quivering in his chest. She was just too cute. Far too cute.

Without hesitating, he pulled her close to him and kissed her. Holding her tightly, Vlad allowed his inhibitions to drop just a fraction as he slid his tongue into her mouth, which she had left open in surprise. Dani emitted a startled grunt but this time the older man did not pull away. The young girl shut her eyes again, a reaction to being kissed once more.

It was a strange sensation, feeling Vlad’s moist organ explore every inch of her mouth. Despite this, it wasn’t unpleasant; in fact, it ignited a spark in her body, heating her blood and causing her to moan. It felt good, really good, and the teenager didn’t want it to stop.

Vlad must have heard the noise she made because he responded with one of his own. It was a truly guttural sound, despite it being muffled by the kiss. It proved to further kindle the young heroine’s desire, making her grip Vlad’s arm even tighter. Then she felt his arms snake around her petite form, with one hand resting behind her shoulders while the other caressed the small of her back. Dani tried not to moan again, but the feeling of his hands was so nice that it slipped from her throat and into Vlad’s mouth, causing him to emit another guttural sound. The feeling of his warm, strong arms around her always made her feel safe, and this was no expectation. She was fully aware that they were still out in public, but to her, there was nothing else around; it was just her and him, embracing one another with great tenderness and protection. Truly, in his arms, it was like nothing could touch her. It was as if he was a fortress, barring entry to any ill-doer.

She found herself wondering if he felt the same way about her. Did he feel safe in her arms?

The tip of the billionaire’s tongue glided over the roof of her mouth, causing the young girl to moan a third time. She never knew it could feel this good, being kissed. The sensation continued to light the growing fire within her, and in order to further indulge in the kiss, Dani placed her palm on the older man’s heated cheek. This ministration must have pleased the handsome tycoon for he uttered a small chuckle from his throat.

They both pulled away, at the same time, but were only a mere inch or two apart.

“W-what?” Dani asked, flustered.

“I find it interesting, how, despite the chilly weather, being with you now brings me such warmth,” he admitted, smiling with lust and love mingling in his eyes.

“O-oh yeah?”

“Yes. I also find **you** most interesting, the way you’re responding to me,” he said in a near whisper, just above her ear.

“I-is that right?” the girl asked with a nervous smile. With her heart pounding in her chest and her face feeling as flushed as it was, she understood what he meant about the warmth. In truth, she had forgotten it was even cold out! However, the second thing he said reminded her of the warning he had given her, and now, looking into those navy orbs of his, she knew that Vlad was going to make good on his word.

But was she even ready for it?

“I-I guess so, I-I mean, it’s like you said earlier, I-I’ve never been in a relationship before, so I’m new to all of this, so of course I’d be acting like this, all kissy-kissy and whatnot. A-and it would make sense that I would do things that would, as you said, “unknowingly seduce” you, since ‘cause, you know, I don’t know about things that **would** seduce people, so naturally I would do them without knowing, and---”

“Danielle?”

“Y-yeah?”

“You’re too adorable.” 

He pressed his lips against hers again, and just as before he slid his tongue into her mouth. The young heroine clung to the older half ghost, wrapping both her arms around his broad back. In turn, he pulled her even closer, if such a thing was possible. He went right, and she went left, only feeling one another---their mouths, tongues, bodies, arms---all of it. In that moment, the two were as one being, being as close as they were. But this wasn’t enough. Vlad wanted more, and he knew his pupil did too. They wanted to be closer than this, as close as two humans could ever be. The businessman wanted more, to **do** more, and this desire manifested as a growing arousal in his very core.

The only thing he could think about was how badly he wanted her. To take her right now, bring her back to his home, and finally claim her as his forever. He wanted to caress her small, soft body, to nibble at her collar bone and touch her quaint breasts. He wanted to lick the sensitive buds and massage them with his fingertips, and to hear her moan from the pleasure. He wanted to run his tongue over her entire body and to taste her virgin innocence.

All of this excited him, and he felt his resolve crumble into oblivion.

_But she’s still too inexperienced! I have to hold back a little while longer._

At this point, it was physically painful to pull away, but he did so nonetheless. The girl was red-faced and panting, looking down at his chest so as to not make eye-contact. It was clear that she had become just as aroused as he did, and this made it all that much harder to resist his desires.

But he would endure, for her sake.

“Forgive me, I seemed to have forgotten that I needed to bring you home,” he stated, offering a casual smile.

“Uh y-yeah,  i-it’s alright,” she replied, her voice trembling. Was he not going to continue? Did he decide that he should hold back a little bit? Dani had to admit, she was a little disappointed, but it was probably for the best.

“Well then, lets hurry back to the car,” he said, facing in the direction of the parked mustang further down the block.

“Okay.”

The couple reached the vehicle and once they were both settled, Vlad drove his little badger back to her house, careful not to park too close. He placed the stick shift into the proper gear and glanced at his protégé. She was still pink, but she was more relaxed now. Her small hands rested on her thighs and her expression was as content as a slumbering kitten. Her shoulders were at rest and her legs were outstretched.

When her blue eyes turned back to him, Vlad felt his resolve whither again.

“I’m really happy that we got to hang out today,” she stated, a child-like glee in her voice.

“As am I, little badger,” the mogul responded, hiding his building desires behind a calm smile.

“I just wish we didn’t have end this yet,” she confessed, shifting her gaze to her lap. “I wanna stay with you just a little longer.”

“I know, Danielle, but I’m afraid that wouldn’t be practical.”

“I know, you’ve got work tomorrow and I have school.”

 _Yes, let’s go with that_ , Vlad thought to himself. 

“Quite, my dear.”

The young heroine opened her car door and stepped outside, feeling the chill the early November air hit her face. She turned and smiled at her mentor before realizing that they needed to end this date properly. She bent down and looked at her mentor again, hands resting on her knees.

“Is something the matter?” the older man inquired.

“Yeah, you haven’t kissed me goodbye yet,” she pointed out with a grin.

“Ah, still haven’t had enough of me, have you?” the pompous billionaire asked with a smirk.

_Well, technically no. I could never get enough of him._

Like she would ever say that out loud, though.

“I-I just w-wanted to end this the right way, so…”

He chuckled again. “Of course, my darling, I understand.”

Vlad leaned over the center console as Dani leaned forward into the car, and the two kissed one another softly. No tongue, no groping, just sweetness and tender feelings expressed through their lips.

When he pulled away, he saw Dani’s cute little smile, and felt a sense of pure joy. Truly, he didn’t think anything could beat this feeling, this bliss inside of him.

“See you later,” the young half ghost chirped.

“Farewell Danielle, for the present.”

 

 

**************

 

 

    Dani knew she didn’t want to keep her relationship with Vlad a secret. She wanted to tell her friends. After all, there were no secrets among them. But how was she to bring it up? Should she outright tell them? Or perhaps wait for it to come up in conversation? Then again, how would something like that come up in conversation?

Sam and Tucker were accepting of her feelings for her mentor and it wasn’t as if they would cut all ties with her if she told them. However, she knew that it would make Sam upset. It hadn’t escaped her notice that the goth would be sad or frustrated, maybe even depressed about the affair. He was in love with her too, and he would surely see this as a loss. And it grieved her so, knowing just how much her dating Vlad would hurt one of her best friends.

In the end, however, it couldn’t be helped. She loved the older man, and he loved her back. The rebel teen understood her feelings, so it was obvious to him that nothing was going to happen between himself and Dani. Though he may be a bit surprised to learn about this most recent development.

But it had to be done. Dani didn’t want to hold anything back from her friends. She trusted them, and they trusted her. After all, she had trusted them with the knowledge of her ghost powers. Not to tell them about her new boyfriend would be a bit insulting.

Once she arrived at Casper High, the teenaged half ghost located Tucker and Sam by her locker. As per usual, Sam was dressed all in black; his lanky form was covered by a plain black T-shirt and black jeans, which were coupled with his trademark combat boots and favorite trench coat. Tucker was dressed in a generously-sized olive-green sweatshirt that nearly reached her knees, as well as a pair of blue acid washed jeans. They both turned in her direction and smiled.

“Hey Dani,” the computer geek greeted.

“What’s up?” the nonconformist inquired.

“Hey guys,” the ghost girl said in acknowledgment with a smile of her own.

“Feeling better about the Freakshow thing?” Tucker asked.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, totally. I’m just glad it’s all over,” she proclaimed, shrugging her backpack further up her shoulder.

“Same here. I really hated fighting you, man.”

“How do you think I felt?” the girl said in a joking tone.

“I just hope he’s getting what’s coming to him,” Sam muttered, adopting a glare and crossing his arms.

“Well, he’s in prison, so I certainly hope so,” the techno whiz agreed. “I mean, talk about being a creep! The guy was completely obsessed with you, Dani.”

“Ugh, I don’t even wanna think about it,” she stated, disgust evident in her tone.

“Hell, any guy like that should be locked up for good.”

“Amen,” Sam concurred with a nod.

“It’s just a good thing that not every guy is like that,” the blue-eyed teen pointed out.

“Totally. Sam’s not a total creep,”

“Hey!” the boy responded, furrowing his brow at the computer geek.

“And neither is Vlad, if I might add,” she said with a suggestive look on her face.

The young heroine rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “Yup, that’s true.”

“Feh,” Sam scoffed. “Depends on who you ask.”

Oh boy. Dani knew this was going to be difficult, but she didn’t want to make her friends feel like she didn’t trust them. Tucker wouldn’t be the issue though, she had been vying for her to make a move on Vlad since she first found out about Dani’s feelings. No, the issue was going to be with Sam. How would he take it? Not well, of course, but how would be express his displeasure? Would things get awkward? Would he vow to win her over no matter the cost? Somehow, that didn’t sound like him. Sure, the boy was as stubborn as a blonde who wants her pumpkin spice latte on September 1st, but he also knew when to give up. He knew when it was appropriate to fight, as well as when to retreat. And above all, he cared about their friendship, so it seemed unlikely to Dani that he would do something that could compromise it.

With a quick inhale to gather her courage, Dani addressed her friends: “Hey guys, I need to tell you something.”

“What is it? And why do you look like the you’ve got a crushing weight on your shoulders?” Tucker asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Is this about the bounty?” Sam inquired.

“Huh?” the ghost girl vocalized.

“The bounty that was placed on Dani Phantom yesterday. It was all over the news.”

“Oh yeah! I heard about that!” the computer geek chimed in. “Don’t worry Dani, we’ve got your back.”

“Yeah, we’re not gonna let some random ghost hunters hurt you,” Sam promised, wearing quite the determined grin on his face.

“It’s not that, but thank you though,” the young half ghost stated.

“Then what is it? Is it about your dad? You worried he might try to come after you?”

“What? Nah, it’s not---”

_Hold on…_

If that city councilman had placed a million-dollar bounty on the head of Dani Phantom, then wouldn’t it stand to reason that he garnered the attention of some of the world’s greatest ghost hunters? And wouldn’t that mean that Jack Fenton would want to get in on the game to prove that the only one who could catch the ghost girl was him?

And it that was the case, then what was she to do? She didn’t want to fight her father.

_Well, no offense to dad, but I think I can out-run him if I had to._

Sure, she could, no problem. But what about Vlad? How would he react?

He already hated him, Heck, he even tried to **waste** him at one point. If he was to find out that Jack may actually want to her hurt----never mind him being in the dark about the ghost girl’s true identity---then he would be liable to do something…scary.

She couldn’t have that. At the reunion, she had convinced the older man to attempt to mend his friendship with Jack, and the last thing he needed was an accuse to continue hating the man!

No, if her father’s involvement in this ghost-hunt was to come to pass, then Dani needed to make sure the business mogul didn’t find out, lest he seriously injure him.

Or worse.

_At this point, I wouldn’t put it past him. Vlad’s proved that he will go to any lengths to protect me, so I need to be really careful about this whole situation for the time being._

“So uh, Dani, you gonna tell us what you needed to tell us about?” Tucker asked, ripping the girl in question out of her own head.

“Huh? Oh yeah…well…the thing is---”

The warning bell rang, communicating to the student body that the first class of the day was about to start. Dani quickly opened up her locker and retrieved the materials she would need for the next few periods and then shut the door. As her and her friends raced to their class, she decided it could wait---at least until they were in a more private location.

 

************

 

“No way! You’re pulling my leg, Dolly!” Poindexter exclaimed, his features having adopted a surprised visage.

“Nope,” the half ghost heroine began, swaying from side to side with her arms behind her back. “It’s God’s truth. Or, the Ghost Zone’s truth? Do ghosts have an equivalent of that saying?”

“Wow…I’m real happy for you, Dani! I really am!” the ghostly dweeb enthused, his surprise morphing into excited joy. “I’m glad that you’re finally goin’ steady with that guy. He’s you’re One and Only, after all.”

“You knew?” the teen asked in curiosity.

“Well of course I did! The way he charged in to save you, and hearing you talk about him all this time, it was pretty obvious.”

“Yeah, I guess I don’t really shut up about Vlad, huh?” she asked, feeling slightly embarrassed. Was she really that bad?

Poindexter hovered over to the doors separating them from the gymnasium, looking through the windows to see Dani’s classmates playing a fierce game of basketball. Tucker had the ball, but as Dash made his way toward her, she tossed it over to some other geek who squealed upon catching it. The poor red-headed brace face ran as fast as his gangly legs could take him, but he was very quickly knocked down by Kwan, who wasted no time in taking the ball and scoring another point for his team.

“Yikes, those bullies sure don’t let up, do they?” he commented, glaring at Dash and Kwan as they high-fived.

“Welcome to Casper High,” Dani said sarcastically, knowing full well that her friend was closely acquainted with the double standards of high school popularity.

“Well, they’ll all be nobodies in a few years, anyway,” Poindexter said dismissively with a wave of his hand. “What’s more important at the moment is this romantic development in your previously lack-luster love life!”

She couldn’t even be mad. He was right.

“Mm hmm. I can’t remember the last time I was this happy,” she admitted, glancing at the floor.

“Plasmius is a powerful ghost, he’ll be able to take care of you,” the ghostly nerd encouraged with a sweet smile. “It’s also nice that you were **his** One and Only too.”

“Tell me about it. For a while, I wasn’t sure if I was. When Kitty told me about One and Onlys, she couldn’t tell me if they were all reciprocated. For the longest time, I was so worried that I wasn’t Vlad’s One and Only, and that maybe some other ghost was. It was kinda scary, ya know?”

Poindexter sighed through his nose and crossed his arms. “I get the idea, but to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t really know. You see, I haven’t met my One and Only yet.”

“You haven’t?”

He shook his head. “Ms. Kitty might have told you already, but some ghosts go without meeting their One and Onlys for hundreds of years. And, well, I’ve only been a ghost for just about 50 years.”

“That’s true…” Dani said with a nod.

“So count yourself lucky, Dolly! You met yours in record time!” he enthused with a toothy smile.

She laughed. “No kidding. Still, I feel bad for any ghost who’s One and Only doesn’t feel the same way back. Kitty said that a One and Only is basically a bounded partner, and you only get one. That must be so painful, living an eternity were your love is unrequited.”

“I imagine that’s how humans feel when their loves don’t love them back,” Poindexter conjected.

“Pretty much, which is going to make this afternoon a lot harder,” the young girl sighed.

“Why’s that?”

“‘Cause I gotta tell Tucker and Sam what I just told you; I need to tell them about Vlad and me.”

“Ohhhhh,” the ghostly dweeb vocalized with a slow nod. “Because Sam has a thing for you, right?”

“Exactly.”

“Well, didn’t you already tell him the feeling wasn’t mutual?”

“I did, but he really hates Vlad, so I don’t know how this is going to go over with him. I’m worried that he’ll be really, really upset.”

“Of course, he’s gonna be upset, Dolly, that’s to be expected, but it seems like you think it’s your fault.”

The half ghost heroine rose an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“You just seem awfully worried about it, is all.”

“I’m always worried whenever I think someone I care about is unhappy,” she responded, looking into the gym at the basketball game she was purposely skipping. She had injured her arm earlier during stretches---nothing serious, but enough to warrant a visit to the nurse. The young girl was handed an icepack and given a reassured smile, telling her she was free to head back to class.

Though, after seeing how the game was going, she decided to wait it out for a while. After all, it wasn’t like anyone would notice if she was missing.

_Technically, Tucker would notice, but I don’t think she would hold this against me. At least, not for too long, anyway._

“Even if it isn’t my fault, I’m always concerned if a person I care about isn’t happy.”

“And that’s what makes you such a swell person, Dolly,” Poindexter praised with a smile.

In return, the young heroine offered a shy grin.

“But let’s face it, Sam is gonna be unhappy about it no matter how you spin it. No amount of preparation is going to make the burn sting any less.”

“You’re right, Sidney,” Dani agreed, her grin fading into a sad expression. “I can’t keep avoiding it, especially since I told Sam and Tucker I needed to tell them something. They’ll pester me until they get it out of me, so it’s better that I do it now.”

“Precisely,” the ghostly dweeb approved.

The gym teacher’s whistle silenced the game, also catching Dani and Sidney’s attention. Ms. Tetslaff announced the near end of the period, and for the students to return to their respective spots on the gym floor for second roll call. Dani, realizing that she needed to get to her place before she’s marked down for missing roll call, waved goodbye to Poindexter and turned invisible, jogging over to her place near the locker room entrance. When she turned around, she noticed that Sidney was gone, most likely returning to his mirror. Once she was seated on the floor, she turned visible again, startling Tucker (who was sitting to her right).

“Holy crud, give me a warning next time you pop in like that!” she advised, glaring at her super powered friend.

“Sorry Tuck, I didn’t want to miss second roll call, but I also didn’t want to be noticed, either.”

“Yeah yeah, I had a feeling,” the geek replied, stretching her neck until the bone cracked. “Anyway, I did some research during study hall, and it turns out that councilman who placed the bounty on your head hired some of the best-known ghost hunters in the world. From what I read, they’ll be in Amity Park some point during the week.”

“Trying to cover all the bases, ain’t he?” the raven-haired teen said with a smirk. 

“From the looks of it, this guy really wants you out of the way. Thinks you’re a danger to the city or something,” Tucker said while rolling her eyes.

“He’s only doing it to get re-elected,” Dani deadpanned, remembering Vlad’s accusation from the day before. He was probably right, anyway.

“Yeah, but still. That’s not the battle I would’ve chosen to fight. Any idiot with a brain could tell you that that’s crazy. You’ve been protecting this city since the day you got your powers.”

“I know, but apparently not everyone sees it that way.”

Ms. Tetslaff commenced with her roll call, and after five minutes or so, the class was excused and permitted to head to lunch. Once again, the girl’s nerves got the better of her, and she refrained from telling her friends about her and the older billionaire. Truth be told, as soon as she saw Sam waiting for her and Tucker in the cafeteria, all her courage flew out the window. He seemed so content, so at peace, and…dare she say… **happy**. The young heroine didn’t want to ruin her dear friend’s mood when he actually seemed to be happy for once.

But she knew she would have to tell them at some point. Why bother putting it off any longer?

As she sat at their table, munching on a mediocre ham sandwich, she decided to tell them after school, once they were all settled at her house to study. That way, she wouldn’t be able to walk away from it, and she could get it all out in the open without fear of anyone listening in.

 

************

 

As the red sun set behind the hills surrounding Amity Park, Dani and her friends sat in her bedroom, huddled over a myriad of textbooks. They had had a busy few hours; first they tackled their biology reports and then they focused their attention on Lancer’s latest torture method. After that, they worked on their math homework.

Now the trio had shifted to history, trying to memorize as many facts about the French Revolution as possible.

Oddly enough, this was able to keep their attentions. After all, the event was bloody, violent, and even frightening. It was akin to reading a gory comic book or watching an action movie that was rated R. Sam was the most interested, of course, with his eyes lighting up at the gruesome details regarding the executions of France’s elite citizens from the 18th century. Every now and then, he would comment on the brutality in an admiring tone, concerning his friends a little. The goth was known for having a general distain for the wealthy; reading about this part of European history could prove to be disastrous should Sam get any ideas from it.

Dani wasn’t overly found of history herself, but even she had to admit, this period was rather fascinating.

_Well, mostly the violent and gory bits, but whatever!_

At any rate, it was able to distract her from a stressful subject that she was trying fruitlessly to avoid. She hadn’t had the courage to bring up her relationship with Vlad and now she was merely biding her time. She knew, however, that this was pointless. She wanted to tell them; she **needed** to tell them, but her mind and heart just weren’t ready. In truth, she was scared. What if this caused a rift between her and Sam? What if he ended up hating her forever? What if he didn’t approve?

These thoughts were ridiculous, and Dani knew that. At the same time, however, she couldn’t help but feel this way. She was a teenager, after all. Doubts and anxieties were part for the course.

Nonetheless, it had to be done at some point. Putting it off only made it harder. But now, they were working on homework, so was really the right time?

The young half ghost looked up at her friends, observing their studious expressions as they combed over the facts and details from their books. It was a serious mood, to be sure, the kind that’s infectious. The atmosphere leaked with focus and dedication, and it made one feel like studying as well. Dani felt it, and for one such as her, she was rarely in this kind of mood. If she were to say something now, it was ruin everything. She may not feel this focused again for a long time, so it would be a waste to let it fall by the wayside just because she needed to tell her friends something.

After watching them for a few seconds, the ghost girl resigned herself to silence. She would tell them tomorrow.

“Wow! This Robespierre guy was such a jerk,” Tucker exclaimed with raised eyebrow. “He totally went all power-mad and became a tyrant himself.”

“Kinda poetic, don’t you think?” Sam inquired. “He became the very thing he fought to destroy.”

“Or maybe he was just saying all that stuff so **he** could take over.”

“Could be.”

The blue-eyed teen looked up from her book. “Yeah, he kinda fits the bill. He always sounded like a tyrant-wanna-be to me.”

“Exploiting the anger of the masses to get what he wanted? Yeah, that sounds right,” the computer geek agreed.

“Not that different from today, really,” the goth remarked, narrowing his eyes at the text in front of him. “Those who want power will always do whatever they want and exploit whoever they want to get it, whether that be politicians, CEOs, or even normal people.”

“You make it sound like politicians and CEOs aren’t normal people,” Tucker commented.

“I think it may be human nature in a way,” the heroine stated. “You want to do whatever you can to ensure your survival, right? So some people end up doing things that may benefit them but also hurt others at the same time.”

“That’s called being selfish,” the rebel asserted. “And yeah, it’s very much in man’s nature.”

“But not everyone is like that. Some people are able to recognize that their actions could hurt others so they chose not to indulge,” the techno whiz added.

“Some, maybe,” Sam remarked, gazing at his geeky friend.

“Yeah, like Vlad! He’s a pretty cool guy,” Tucker stated with an eye-closed grin.

“Ha! Maybe in a world where the Box Ghost is threatening,” Sam scoffed. “He’s just like all the other big wigs; cold, heartless, and willing to do anything to get his way.”

“Or is that just your jealousy talking?” the geek teased, leaning over in the goth’s direction. She had been sitting cross-legged on the floor, and now her arms were folded in front of her with her hands resting on her lap.

“Shut it!” Sam said with a glare.

Dani felt anger bubble up inside. The black-clad teen had no right to say such things, especially when they were baseless. He had no idea if those things were even true!

She hated it when Sam bad-mouthed the older billionaire, especially when he didn’t know him like she did. Sure, his actions could be a bit concerning at times, and maybe he did do some questionable things in the past (like try to kill her dad, for instance) but the Vlad she knew was kind, patient, and willing to work with others. And yes, he could be rather assertive at times, like when he was under Desiree’s influence, and he could be a little scary, like during their confrontation with Sidney. But that didn’t change anything. The older half ghost had been nothing but generous and helpful with regard to the trio. And it made the younger half ghost quite irritated to hear Sam insult him so casually.

Taking a deep breath through her nose, the ghost girl then exhaled as calmly as she could.

“Could we change the subject, please?”

“No problem, it’s not like I enjoy talking about **him** , anyway,” the goth said dismissively.

Dani felt a vein pop in her temple.

“Well, don’t worry Dani, **I** think your man is just fine,” Tucker stated with a toothy grin.

“Wh-wha? Tucker! He’s not my---”

_Oh wait._

“Whatever, girl, deny it all you want, but Vlad’s as good as yours.”

“Wh-wh---I---ah---” What was she supposed to say? Tucker wasn’t wrong, especially now.

“Tucker, please, you’re gonna make me gag,” the rebel teen asserted as he slouched.

“Gagging is the least of your worries if you sit like that. Have you seen your posture?”

“Who are you, my mom?”

The young heroine sighed.

“I’m just saying, you’re gonna end up with scoliosis if you keep this up,” the geek said with a shrug.

“Whatever,” the goth mumbled.

“So anyway, let’s get back to work then, huh?” the half ghost suggested.

“Yes, **please** ,” Sam concurred.

“Fine, I was just pointing out the inevitable.”

“Your input was neither asked for or wanted, Tucker,” the nonconformist remarked, turning the page of his history book.

“Rude!”

_At least we’re getting back on track now. Talking about Vlad with Sam around is never a good time----well, expect maybe for Tucker._

For the next few hours, the trio studied as much of the French Revolution as they could. After that, at around 9 P.M., they decided to call it a day. Tucker went home first, flashing a cocky grin at her friends as she departed. Sam, on the other hand, lagged behind. He took his time gathering his school things and was as silent as the grave.

Which was, indeed, quite a fitting description for him.

Dani packed up her things too, readying them for the morning. She looked over her shoulder at the goth teen, watching him as he sluggishly dropped his books into his spider-shaped backpack. His behavior sparked in inquiry in the girl’s mind; why was he acting this way? Sure, he was always a little slow, but that was mostly due to a lack of enthusiasm. Was he in a bad mood? Was he tired? Not likely, he was a night owl. Sam loved to stay up late at night to watch black n’ white horror movies as well as anime. He also enjoyed reading Edgar Allan Poe or H.P. Lovecraft instead of sleeping. In fact, the only time he did get a decent night’s sleep was when he slept over. In those instances, he would be out cold by 2 or 3 in the morning, at least.

O.K., so not so decent.

But it was better than the alternative, which was 4 o’clock, and sometimes not at all.

The boy must have caught her staring, because he suddenly looked up at her. “What?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing!” Dani panicked.

_Oops._

He continued to look at her.

“I was just wondering why you’re taking so long.”

“Wanna get rid of me that badly, huh?” he asked with a cold expression.

“What? No! That’s not what I meant! I mean, you just seem so sluggish, that’s all. I was wondering if you were tired or something.”

“Yeah, you could say that,” he muttered, frustration evident in his tone.

“Hmm?”

He went back to packing his bag and Dani went back to watching him. He seemed tense, with his shoulders hunched as they were. Was he actually mad? With him, it was hard to tell sometimes. One could barely discern his normal disinterest from his anger or irritation. He wore the same expression for each, so it was often difficult to figure out whether he was just being distant or if he was actually angry.

_Could it be about earlier, when Tucker brought up Vlad? That’s always guaranteed to put him in a bad mood, so I wouldn’t be surprised. Maybe I should just leave him alone._

This made her feel guilty. If Sam was truly this agitated over that, then he would not take the news of her and the older man well at all. It would be like poking a lion with a stick. A long, rather pointy stick. And the lion was already injured from a previous encounter.

The ghost girl looked at the surface of her desk. She had been standing in front of it with her bag placed just in front of her. She hated being in this position, having her heart being pulled in different directions by two different guys. Now she realized why most girls didn’t like having guys fight over them; it was way too uncomfortable.

Except for Paulina, she would probably get off on that kind of thing.

Dani furrowed her brow at her desk. She loved Vlad, and that would never change, but she hated that that love was hurting one of her closest friends. Wasn’t there a way to make this easier for everyone---wasn’t there a way to make everyone happy?

No, no there wasn’t. Life wasn’t that forgiving.

With a quiet sigh, Dani turned aroung to see Sam staring at her again. All his things had been packed away and his bag was hanging off his right shoulder. He stood tall, ramrod straight, with his focus entirely on her.

_So much for that scoliosis, Tuck._

“What’s up?” she asked.

He sighed through his nose before answering. “What happened after Tucker and I left?”

“Huh?”

“After the Freakshow thing. What happened?”

“After Tucker and you---?” Realization hit, showing in her features.

“What happened?”

“Uh…” The ghost girl felt a rising sense of dread. Why was he asking about this now? He didn’t seem bothered by it before. The rebel had been acting normal (for him, anyway) all day! Hell, at the time of the incident in question, he seemed almost accepting of whatever was about to follow.

So why now?

“Well…we just talked---Vlad and I…and we…uh…”

Sam walked over to the young heroine. Now he was in front of her.

“What did you talk about?”

“N-nothing, really…w-we just…you know…”

_I thought he hated hearing about Vlad, so why is he suddenly so interested?!_

The black-clad teen glared. “You’re not acting like it was nothing. What did he say? What did he do to you?”

“Wha--? What makes you think he did something? I’m telling you, it was nothing!”

“Was it?”

Here it was; the chance to tell him about everything. Dani had been presented with the opportunity to reveal her relationship with her charming mentor, but would she take it? Would she tell Sam, or lie out of panic? At the moment, the young girl couldn’t think straight. She just wanted to be out of this awkward situation.

“Look Sam, it was---”

Unexpectedly, Dani’s phone began to vibrate. The coarse sound emanated from the desk, where the cellular device sat adjacent to her backpack. Both teenagers had been startled by the noise and their gazes were now in its direction.

As the phone continued to vibrate, Dani realized that someone was calling her.

One glance at the caller ID revealed who.

“What does he want?” Sam mumbled at no one in particular.

The ghost girl glanced back at her friend. She could feel his breath on her warm face.  

“Who calls someone at this hour?” he continued mumbling, but it was more of a rhetorical question. For he knew---he knew that someone like him would call her so late in the evening. After all, he would do the same thing, just to hear Dani’s voice.

The young half ghost leaned back against the desk, trying to create as much distance from Sam as possible. It wasn’t like she wanted to get away from him per say, just the weird atmosphere of the moment.

“I should answer it,” she stated quietly, worried that maybe it was too quiet for him to hear.

But her fears weren’t founded. “Tch, this pisses me off.”

“Sorry, but it would be rude not to answer,” she pointed out, her tone still a bit sheepish.

“Yeah, I get it,” he stated bitterly, finally turning away and heading for her bedroom door.

“Sam, wait!” the girl beseeched. “I’m sorry, but I can’t just ignore it!”

“Yeah, I know.” This time, his voice sounded melancholic. He didn’t turn back to her though, and instead continued until he was at the door. “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah…see you tomorrow…”

Then Sam opened the door and disappeared behind it. Dani was alone now, hearing his retreating footsteps heading down the stairs and toward the front door.

Once she heard the faint sound of the front door being closed, she grabbed her cell phone and flicked it open with her thumb.

“Hello?”

“Danielle? You didn’t answer right away.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t get to my phone easily.” This wasn’t a lie, since Sam had been there.

“I was worried something wasn’t right on your end,” he stated.

“It’s fine, my friends were over, and Sam was the last one to leave when you called, so it was kinda awkward.”

“How so?” he asked, with suspicion in his voice.

“I didn’t want to answer it with him here. I didn’t think it would be fair.”

_Plus, he was literally right in front of me, so it would have been extremely awkward if I had answered it._

“I see. Has he left?”

“Yeah, Sam’s gone. He just went home,” the girl responded. “So, what’s up? It’s pretty late.”

“Forgive me, but I wanted to talk to you,” the older man stated.

“Really?”

_Did he call at this hour just to talk to me?_

“Indeed. I took the liberty of looking into the ghost hunters that the councilman hired,” he began.

“Oh…” the girl replied, disappointment visible in her features.

“Three have been consulted thus far, and it looks like they will arrive within the week.”

“Yeah, Tucker told me about it earlier today,” Dani said, crossing one arm over her belly.

“Good to hear that she’s investigating this matter as well,” the older tycoon commented. “Has she informed you as to their identities?”

“No. Is it a big deal?”

“Perhaps not, but there is one group I’m rather concerned about; they’re expert ghost hunters. They’re the kind that shoot first and ask questions never.”

“You mean, ‘later’, right?” the heroine inquired.

“I’m afraid not.”

“Oh…yikes.”

“They’re a federal agency, one with a tendency to be shrouded in conspiracy. I’ve dealt with them on numerous occasions, both in and out of ghost form.”

“Really? I can imagine Plasmius having to deal with an agency like that, but your alter ego?”

“Understand that I’ve been involved with the Ghost Zone for quite some time, and naturally I’ve garnered some attention. There have been a few close calls; the Guys in White have come close to discovering my secret, and as such I’ve been under suspicion for a number of years.”

“They suspect you’re half ghost?” Dani asked in concern and surprise. There were people out there that were hot on Vlad’s trail? Vlad had been able to keep his ghost-life separate from his personal one, but if these “Guys in White” were suspicious of him, then they must be good at what they do.

That alone was a bit frightening.

“They haven’t been able to prove anything, but they don’t trust me. At one point, they tried to arrest me on charges of hoarding illegal Ghost Zone contraband, but it didn’t amount to anything.”

“Illegal Ghost Zone contraband? That’s a thing?” the young heroine inquired in confusion.

“Unfortunately, yes. The federal government has always known about ghosts and other paranormal phenomena, so naturally they created a secret organization that investigates and, when necessary, exterminates any supernatural threat. Of course, since its founding, the Guys in White have always been a questionable lot.”

“Sounds bad,” Dani said as she walked over to her bed and sat down.

“It could be better, admittedly,” the businessman confessed. “It would appear that this councilman isn’t messing around.”

“You know, I’m kind of flattered that this guy thinks I’m that much of a threat,” she stated almost proudly.

“Heh, don’t get too cocky now, little badger,” Vlad warned in a playful tone. “If you let your head get too big, you’re bound to end up in serious trouble.”

“Oh, but what do I have to worry about? I have ghost powers, not to mention an amazingly powerful mentor to help me,” the girl bantered, a smirk on her youthful face.

“The flattery is rather charming, Danielle. You may want to flatter me more from time to time.”

“Oh please, you just like hearing people complimenting you,” she countered, still smirking.

“Be that as it may, it is especially welcome when it comes from you.”

“Well, you know me, eager to please,” she stated playfully while feeling a warmth rising in her core. Hearing him say something like that was truly grand indeed.

It also made her want to squeal.

“In any case, Danielle, you should be careful for the time being. Keep your eyes out for any mysterious activity, and make sure that whenever you transform, it’s in a secluded, isolated area.”

“Got it,” she replied with a nod.

“I want to keep you safe personally, but I won’t be able to accompany you for a few days. I have a very important meeting that cannot be rescheduled or delayed in anyway.”

“It’s O.K. I know that work is important, and besides, I can handle myself just fine.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“By the way, this meeting, is it with some hot shot corporate big wig or something?” Normally, matters like these were of no interest to Dani, but when it came to Vlad, she couldn’t help but be a little interested.

“Not exactly. It’s with a client from overseas. He’s a regular customer of one of my biggest security companies.”

“Masters Enterprises, right?” the ghost girl asked.

“That’s right. I’m surprised you looked into such a thing.”

“Well, I was just curious. I wanted to know a little more about your work.”

“Trust me, Danielle, most of it would bore you to tears,” the older half ghost stated. Dani could just hear the smile from the other end.

“Probably,” she admitted. “But still, I wanted to at least know a **little**.”

“Well, that’s rather flattering as well, little badger.”

“Yeah, well, again, you know me,” she replied, rubbing the back of her head nervously. It was a little embarrassing having to admit something like this, but it was pretty harmless.

“Anyway, Danielle, look after yourself. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Thank you, I’ll be careful,” she stated, feeling the warmth return once more.

“Alright. Goodnight then, my love,” he said tenderly, in that tone that sent a chill up the girl’s spine.

“Goodnight…” she began, feeling her face grow hot. “I-I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said in a near whisper, so soft and affectionate. Truly, how could someone cold-hearted sound like **that**?

“B-bye…”

“Je vais parler avec vous bientôt, mon amour,” he said, his voice still so gentle.

“What?” Dani vocalized, greatly confused. “Was that French?”

“Oui, mon chérie,” he responded.

“…What?” she asked again.

“You told me you were taking French,” the charming older tycoon stated in a playful tone of voice.

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I understand it very well,” the ghost girl countered, feeling a bit defensive. Still, hearing Vlad speak in French was actually **really** sexy. She could listen to his velvety tones speaking in that language for a long time.

“Well, I mustn’t keep you any longer. You need your rest,” the billionaire stated, his tone no longer playful; now it was back to being gentle.

“O.K.,” the younger half ghost replied, feeling disappointed again.

“Bonne nuit. Je t'aime,” Vlad said, once again, in a near whisper.

Dani understood what he said this time, and she felt her heart soar. “Bonne nuit, je t'aime aussi.”

She knew her pronunciation was a probably off, but she just hoped he would appreciated the effort.

“Danielle, je t'adore,” he responded, warmth and love oozing from his tone.

_Looks like he appreciated the effort._

After they hung up, Dani threw herself under her blankets. Her face was as warm as a pastry and her heart was as loud as a drum. Falling asleep now was going to prove taxing, since she was causally drowning in the love and affection she held toward her enchanting mentor. He was certainly something; no one could even compare. Vlad was amazing, truly inspiring. What in the world had she done to deserve someone as incredible as him? What god had she pleased? What higher power or force of nature had she pleased so much as to allow her this joy, this bliss, this complete and utter happiness?

Smiling sweetly, she closed her eyes and thought only of him, the man she loved, until sleep finally took her.   


	3. Chapter 3

“Dani! Dani, wake up! You don’t want to be late for school!” Jazz called from the living room.

The young heroine yawned as she sat up, eyelids droopy and hair disheveled. Her alarm clock hadn’t gone off, suggesting that it probably needed new batteries.

Thank goodness for invasive older sisters.

The teenager rolled out of bed and drowsily grabbed a random pair of jeans and a black fluffy sweater. The cold weather made it even more difficult to get out of bed in the morning, so not only was she tired, but Dani was also shivering from head to toe. Why her parents kept the thermostat so low, even during the chilly months, was beyond her.

Yawning again, the girl chucked her backpack over her shoulder and slipped into her favorite pair of converse and then proceeded to make her way downstairs. Hopefully Jazz had a brush in her car that she could borrow.

In truth, she was way too tired to turn back around and head to the bathroom to brush her hair.

The thought hadn’t even entered her mind until she had already reached the bottom of the stairs.

Her bubblegum hoodie had been left on the back of one of the kitchen chairs from the night before, so Dani scooped it up with her arm, intending to put it on later.

“Wow, you look like you didn’t get any sleep at all,” the red-headed teen commented, gazing at her sister with slight fascination.

“I always look like this in the mornings,” Dani deadpanned.

“Not always,” Jazz remarked, turning around and pouring some instant coffee she had just brewed into a commuter cup. “Want some?”

“Nah.”

The older teen capped her beverage and grabbed her cross-body bookbag, only to throw it over her shoulder as she walked over to her little sister.

“Ready?”

“Uh huh.”

“You know, you should really brush your hair. I’ve got a brush you can borrow.”

_Score._

Jazz reached into her bag and pulled out an aqua-colored brush and handed it to Dani. The ghost girl took it and began to brush her tangled black locks as they both made their way to the front door.

“By the way, Mom and Dad apologize about there not being any breakfast. They were too preoccupied with preparing to capture the ghost girl to whip something up,” Jazz explained, looking over to Dani.

“Uh,” she grunted.

“But we can stop on the way to school, if you want. How about McDonalds?”

This got the heroine’s attention. They never got fast food for breakfast. “Egg McMuffins?”

“Sure, if that’s what you want,” the 18-year-old stated with a smile.

“Yeah, totally!”

The older sister giggled. “That sure didn’t take much; you’re definitely awake now.”

“We’re just not usually allowed to get fast food breakfast, so…” the girl said in a defensive pout.

Jazz giggled again but said nothing else. She led her sister out the front door of their residence and walked over to her car, a light blue 2003 Prius, that was parked just down the street. Once the two were inside, the inquisitive teenager drove at a cool 44 miles per hour. As they were headed to their first destination, Dani’s mind wandered a bit. It was really nice that she and her sister were closer than they used to be. They had patched up their differences and were able to talk to each other without resorting to insults or condescending remarks. And now that things between them weren’t as strained anymore, Jazz had been able to accompany Dani and her friends on patrols in the Ghost Zone. They were mostly just mapping missions, but it was kind of nice to share this world with her sister. Heck, the older teen had proven to be of some use when they got lost a few times.

Now that she felt she could confide in her sister a bit more, Dani felt a little guilty for not telling her about Vlad. Jazz was way behind on everything; she had no idea that he was in Amity Park, nor did she know that she was in love with the man, and **nor** was she aware of the fact that the half ghost heroine was now **dating** him.

Sure, she was going to tell Sam and Tucker. Obviously. But Jazz? At first, she didn’t want to tell her, but now she was beginning to think that this was unfair. Jazz had been putting forth an effort to be a better sister, and Dani didn’t even trust her enough to tell her about everything? It definitely wasn’t fair, not at all.

But what should she say? Should she just bring it up or wait for Jazz to---but when would that happen? This sort of thing wasn’t even on the redhead’s radar. No, Dani would have to mention it her own, which made things that much harder.

How could she bring it up in conversation? Should she just be blunt and own up to it? Should she be a bit more subtle?

Maybe coming out and saying it would be better. That way, she wouldn’t have time to run away from it.

Should she do it now?

_I don’t know if I **can** do it now. But it would be a good time, if ever there was one. _

Plus, if she told Jazz everything, then maybe she would feel more courageous about telling Sam and Tucker. One could hope, right?

“Hey Jazz? There’s something I should tell you.”

Since they were pulled into the drive thru of the restaurant, the older teen was stopped behind a line of other vehicles waiting for their morning refreshments. It was probably going to take a while.

“What is it?” she asked, sounding slightly worried. The tone of Dani’s voice left her feeling concerned.

“It’s nothing bad, it’s just…well…it’s a little complicated.”

“Is it about school? Are you having trouble keeping up?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Is it about Sidney? Is he doing O.K.?”

“No, he’s doing great, actually,” the young half ghost heroine stated, a bit happy that Jazz was thinking about her dweeby friend.

“Then what is it? Is Paulina giving you a hard time?”

“I told you, it’s nothing bad,” Dani reiterated, furrowing her brow. Honestly, Jazz could be rather dense at times.

“Sorry, I’ll shut up,” she responded, looking at her sister. “You tell me, and I’ll just listen.”

“Alright…”

_Well, here it goes._

The car pulled up just a fraction. “You remember that college reunion, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, then you remember Vlad Masters, right?”

“Yeahhhh.”

_This is going to be harder than I thought. For some reason, I’m getting all nervous._

What if Jazz didn’t approve? What if she told Jack and Maddie? What if she tried to vouch for Sam and attempt to set her up with him?

O.K., that last one was a crazy thought, but Dani couldn’t help herself.

“So…the thing is…well…” She took a deep breath before continuing and elected to stare out of the front windshield: “So it turns out that he’s like me…he’s a half ghost too.”

Jazz’s head whipped in her sister’s direction, her eyes wide and full of surprise. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yup.”

“Whoa…that’s…wait, how do you know this?”

“Well…that’s another thing…I found out during the reunion. He saved me from Skulker and he revealed that he was half ghost like me. Then he offered to train me, so I went for it, and not long after that, Vlad moved here to make our sessions more efficient.”

The older teen’s mind felt just as overwhelmed as she had when she first realized that ghosts were real. This was quite unexpected, hearing Dani tell her all of this, but she had a sinking suspicion that there was more.

“Mr. Masters is here, in Amity Park?” she asked, seeking clarification.

“That’s right.”

“And he’s been here since the reunion?”

“Well, kinda,” the ghost girl began nervously. “It was actually a week or so afterward that he moved out here.”

“Ah,” Jazz vocalized matter-of-factly. “Well it was sure nice of him to move to a new town, just for your sake.”

“I know, right? He’s a really awesome guy,” Dani perked up. Why couldn’t that have been Sam’s reaction?

“I’m surprised Dad hasn’t mentioned him though,” Jazz began. “I would think he would be super excited to have his old college pal living in the same town.”

_Oh boy._

“Yeah…that’s yet another thing…”

“What is it? Did something happen between them at the reunion, or does Mr. Masters still hate Dad?”

Dani looked at her sister, completely off guard. “Wait, how do you know that?”

“It was kind of obvious, Dani,” she replied. “From the way he was acting before the reunion, it was clear that Vlad wasn’t the biggest fan of Dad.”

_True that._

“So, let me guess; Vlad hasn’t told Dad that he’s here yet, and you didn’t want to tell Dad because you didn’t want to betray your tutor’s trust?”

_Wow, she’s good. For someone who can miss the mark at times, she can really hit the nail on the head too._

“Yeah, that’s about right,” the black-haired teenager admitted.

“I had a feeling.”

The car pulled up a little further. Now they were almost at the intercom.

“Well, I’m really glad you’re telling me all of this. It means a lot that you trust me enough to so do.”

Dani rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t going to, but then I realized how unfair that was. I mean, you’ve taken this whole ghost thing really well, so it wasn’t fair to you that I was keeping you completely out of the loop.”

Jazz turned to the young heroine again. “Thanks, Dani, that really means a lot.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not done yet,” she added shyly.

“There’s more?” the redhead asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Uh huh…so…you remember Spectra, right?”

“Unfortunately,” the older teen said dryly, facing forward again. 

“She mentioned that I was in love with someone, and you remember that bit. So, the thing is…”

Jazz eyed the young half ghost out of the corner of her vision. “Hold up, if you’re going to tell me what I think you’re going to tell me---”

“Welcome to McDonald’s! Can I take your order?”

The request started both girls. Apparently, Jazz had pulled close enough to the intercom to make an order.

“Oh, uh…I’ll have---” she looked back at Dani.

“Uh…how ‘bout an Egg McMuffin and a hash brown?” she asked.

“I’ll take two Egg McMuffins and four hash browns,” Jazz stated.

“Alright, your order will be ready for you at the window! Thank you!”

The 18-year-old pulled up again, just enough to the let the person behind her give their order. Once she was stopped, she faced her sister again, suspicion in her aqua-colored eyes.

“You were saying?”

“I think you know what I was going to say,” the half ghost said with a hint of worry in her tone.

“Maybe, but I want to hear it from you,” she requested. “I need to make sure I’m not just making a crazy assumption.”

_Or rather, you just want to make sure that you’re right._

“So…yeah…anyway…the thing is…I’m…well…”

The redhead didn’t avert her gaze, making Dani feel like she was being interrogated.

She had come this far, turning back now was prove fruitless.

“Vlad is the guy that I’m in love with…and now we’re…going out…” The last part of her sentence was as quiet as a mouse’s footsteps.

Jazz’s eyes were as wide as dinner plates. The first part she was expecting to hear, but certainly not that last part! Her little sister was going out with a man that was 20 years her senior---someone that was old enough to be her father?!

This was deeply disconcerting. Didn’t Dani know the trouble she could get into? Didn’t she know the implications of a relationship like this? Wasn’t she aware of how dangerous something like this was??

Sure, the girl may be a bit naïve, but she wasn’t stupid! How could she have ended up in a situation like this??? The whole thing just wreaked of trouble!

“Dani---this is---how could you---?”

It was obvious that Dani had broken her big sister.

“Jazz, listen, I know how it looks, but we’ve only been together officially for like, two days, and believe me, he cares about me, more that anyone in the world.”

“Dani, this is bad! Really bad! Don’t you understand the position you’re in? You’re with someone who is **way** too old for you---not even touching on the fact that it’s seriously illegal---but he’s also an old friend of our **parents**! How are you going to explain that to them??”

“I wasn’t going to!” the ghost girl revealed, looking Jazz straight in the eye. “I wasn’t going to mention this to them.”

“And how long were you going to keep **this** a secret? Really Dani, the ghost powers I understand, but **this**?? It’s just…you can’t hide something like that forever.”

“Well, when I turn 18 maybe that will change, but I haven’t thought that far ahead yet, so---”

“You haven’t even---” Jazz cut herself off. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Look Jazz, I know what you’re probably feeling right now, but honestly there’s nothing to worry about,” the blue-eyed teenager affirmed. “Vlad really cares about me. He’s even holding back because of me. He wants to make sure I’m not scared or uncomfortable around him. I trust him.”

Gazing at her sister’s face, Jazz saw just how strong her conviction was. Dani truly believed in what she was saying; she truly believed in Vlad Masters. It was as plain as the shock on her own face.

This was too much to be taking in this early in the morning. Jazz wanted to fight the heroine on this, but judging by the way Dani’s eyes sparkled with pure trust---and, dare she say it--- **love** , it would obviously be a loosing battle. 

She sighed. “You trust him that much, huh?”

“I do. I trust him with my life,” the younger teen proclaimed.

Placing a hand to her face, Jazz exhaled loudly through her nose. She didn’t know Vlad Masters all that well, so of course she didn’t trust him. But she did trust Dani. If he has really been in Amity Park all this time, then the two must have fought ghosts together, not to mention the training that Dani had mentioned earlier. It would stand to reason then that they had built a sort of trust, the kind that spawns from comradery. In addition, if he really was as accommodating as Dani said he was, then perhaps he did care about her well-being.

Still, she needed to see this for herself.

“Jazz, promise me you won’t say anything. Promise me you won’t tell Mom and Dad,” the young girl implored, staring at her sister with apprehension in her eyes.

The older teen turned back to Dani. “I…I won’t say anything. But on **one** condition.”

“Yeah yeah, sure, anything!” the ghost girl replied, relief and delight adorning her features.

“I want to meet him.”

And just like that, Dani felt all the color drain from her face. “Huh?”’

“You heard me; I want to meet him, officially,” the inquisitive teen restated, facing forward and pulling up to the drive thru window.

Once she had paid and was handed their food, Jazz was free to drive on. Exiting the parking lot, she drove on the main road heading toward Casper High. If they were lucky, they would just make it on time.

“You…you want to meet him?” Dani asked, but mainly was a way of making sure she hadn’t heard wrong.

“That’s right,” Jazz began. “If he’s as good as you say he is, then I should get to know him, right?” The way she worded it didn’t sound all that friendly.

_I guess it makes sense that she doesn’t trust Vlad. I mean, from her perspective, this looks real shady._

Dani understood this, but it still hurt, having her sister think ill of the older billionaire. She would just have to prove her wrong then!

“Alright, when do you want to meet him?” she asked, more determination in her heart now.

“Tonight. Nasty Burger,” she stated, between bites of her Egg McMuffin.

“Really? There?”

“Better a public place then somewhere private,” she explicated.

“Oh, yeah, fair enough.”

_I just hope he can make it._

Dani gazed at her hash browns, feeling her stomach tie into Celtic Knots. She was glad that Jazz was willing to hear them out, but the prospect of her not approving of their relationship actually worried her. If she didn’t like Vlad, would she tell their parents? Would she rat Vlad out as being a half ghost? No, even Jazz wouldn’t do that.

But telling Jack and Maddie was a real possibility.

Although, Jazz was logical and reasonable. Once she got to know the charming business tycoon, surely she would change her mind.

Granted, the redhead was also stubborn, overprotective, and had this annoying habit of always thinking she was right. What if seeing and talking to Vlad wasn’t enough to convince her?

The Prius pulled into Casper High’s student parking, which wasn’t a very generous space. Not many students drove---on account of Amity Park’s stellar public transportation---so the school saw no need in wasting the money and land on a large lot. Instead, they blew most of the budget on things delegated to the sports teams.

Biased, much?

Stuffing the last bit of breakfast into her mouth, Jazz collected her bag and exited the car, with Dani not far behind. The ghost girl had elected to save her food for later, now that her nerves had made it impossible to stomach anything. She followed her sister into the building, the warning bell sounding through the nearly-empty halls.

“Don’t forget; **tonight** ,” the 18-year-old repeated, a rather stern look on her face.

“Yeah, I got it,” Dani responded, casting her gaze to the freshly-waxed floor.

As Jazz departed, the younger half ghost walked to her locker and removed the necessary items for her first few classes.

_Well, that could have gone a helluva lot worse. Still, I don’t think I’ll be able to kick this nervous feeling until this is all over._

Closing her locker, Dani sighed. Waiting for this evening was going to be excruciating, and the actual evening was going to be even worse. She just hoped that her sister would understand her feelings; hers and Vlad’s.

Then the peppy teenager jogged to class, dread and apprehension invading her mind and body.

 

*************

 

“Tonight? That may be a bit complicated, little badger,” Vlad confessed, sitting at his desk with his cell phone to his ear.

“But Jazz seemed pretty adamant that it had to be **tonight** , and trust me, when she has her mind on something, she doesn’t let up,” the young girl explained.

“I realize that, but remember the meeting I mentioned last night? My client lives in Paris, so I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to cut the call short.”

“I know, but…”

Vlad’s expression turned solemn. His dear one was obviously concerned about this. He had to admit, it took great courage to tell her sister about the two of them. Perhaps this action was foolish, but it proved that she had a close bound with her sibling, which was a very fortunate thing. The eccentric billionaire didn’t know a lot about Jasmine Fenton---only what Maddie had told him---but from the way she had pushed this meeting, it would seem that she was quite protective of Dani. He could admire that.

Of course, if this protective nature got in the way of him and his little badger…

_No, there is no need for such thoughts. It is wise that she would want to meet me. It means she has her own mind, that she forms her own opinions. Also, it means that she’s no fool. After all, if I was in her position, I would insist on a similar meeting._

Danielle was worried about this affair, however. She was afraid of her sister’s disapproval, no doubt. And he hated seeing (or, in this case, hearing) his little love feeling anxious or troubled. He knew that this had to be quite awkward for her, not to mention nerve-wracking.

She hadn’t asked much of him; in fact, she hadn’t required anything of him as of late. The least he could do was be there for her, to appear at this meeting and hopefully put her mind at ease. If nothing else, he could just make sure that she didn’t feel alone.

“Very well, Danielle. I will do what I can, but I don’t think I’ll be able to make it on time,” the pompous businessman stated, leaning back in his desk chair and crossing one leg over the other.

“That’s O.K.! Just as long as you come at all,” the younger half ghost said with much gratitude.

He smiled into the receiver. “I promise you, everything will be alright. No matter what, nothing is going to separate us, my love.”

When he didn’t hear a response, he chuckled.

“What?” his protégé asked, sounding rather indignant.

“You. You’re embarrassed now, are you not?” he asked with a smirk.

“N-no!”

Honestly, she was too transparent.

He couldn’t get enough.

“In any case, this works in my favor,” he began. “Seeing as I now have an excuse to keep an eye on you. One can never tell what may happen, not where the Guys in White are concerned.”

“You’re really worried about that, huh?” the heroine asked, her voice possessing hints of her own worry.

“Naturally. They have all of the latest and greatest anti-ghost technology at their disposal and choose to use it without hesitation or remorse.”

“Well, I appreciate you being so worried about me,” the girl admitted, her tone much cuter than before. He could tell she must have been smiling from ear to ear and was probably blushing even more.

“Of course, I would be worried, little badger,” the silver-haired half ghost stated, wishing that she was right in front of him instead on the other end of the phone. “You are the most important person in the world to me; no one else compares to you in terms of significance. Only you, Danielle, can take up this much residence in my heart and dominate my mind. That’s how much you mean to me.”

Vlad heard the tiniest of gasps and didn’t bother to stop the warm smile from spreading across his face. Now that he could tell her all of this, he would be sure to---on a regular basis.

Then he heard the faintest of whispers, so quiet and as shy as young child: “I-I really love you…”

He sighed in ecstasy and longing. How could he be expected to hold back when his little badger was this damn endearing??

“I love you, my darling, more than words could ever express. It fills me with such joy knowing that I can confess all this to you,” he declared, closing his eyes and smiling.

“Y-yeah?”

“Indeed,” he said, opening his eyes again.  

“Geez, you’re such a Frootloop,” she teased, but still sounding quite embarrassed.

He barked. “Perhaps, but I don’t see the point in being subtle. I want to tell you these things, to express my complete and utter adoration and affection for you.”

From his end of the line, Vlad could hear the sound of a school bell going off. Looks like her break was almost over.

“You should head back to homeroom,” he suggested, sitting up in his chair and placing his feet firmly on the floor. “Wouldn’t want you to get into trouble.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” she sighed.

_Don’t worry, my sweet little badger, I don’t want to hang up either._

In fact, if he could stay on the phone with her for the rest of the day, he wouldn’t complain. But, sadly, they both had to get back to reality.

“I’ll see you this evening, after 7 o’clock,” the billionaire stated.

“O.K., I’ll be waiting with Jazz outside the Nasty Burger.”

“Until then, my dear one,” he said, his voice like honey.

“B-bye, mon amour,” she replied.

Vlad blinked several times in rapid succession. His heart felt like it had just taken off on a first-class trip to Tahiti---all expenses paid.

God, did he want to embrace her.

“Danielle?”

“Y-yes?”

“You’re just too much for me.”

 

***********

 

Dani stood in the empty bathroom, leaning against one of the stall doors and clutching her phone close to her chest. Embarrassment and happiness coursed through her veins and invaded her brain. Thinking straight was out of the question---at least, for the next few minutes.

Vlad’s love and care went so deep, it was flat-out undeniable. Anyone who refused to see it was either blind or a fool.

Sam and Jazz had to be convinced, and hopefully Jazz would be. It was Sam that was going to be the issue. Hating someone with every fiber of your being did much to hinder the constructive dialogue.

Telling her friends was her top priority, but that still didn’t mean she wasn’t extremely troubled by the goth’s inevitable reaction. Once again, she had decided to put it off until lunch, hoping that this time she wouldn’t chicken out. She had thought about this in homeroom, only to remember that Vlad needed to know about Jazz’s mandatory inquisition, hence her trip to the bathroom.

Plus, calling him would mean she could hear his voice, which was never an unwelcomed thing.

Exiting the restroom, Dani made her way back to her homeroom in time for the bell to ring. She gathered her bag and joined her friends as they trekked to their next class; Sam had art and Dani and Tucker had gym.

The young heroine gazed at Sam, who was currently having to endure a sarcastic barrage from Tucker. Apparently, Dani had missed something when she went to the bathroom.

“What’s the joke?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, just that our favorite goth boy here is being his usual jealous self,” the computer geek stated playfully, twirling a lock of her short black hair.

“Just leave it, Tucker,” the rebel teen warned in an exasperated tone.

“He’s all upset over what you guys talked about last night,” the techno enthusiast began, crossing her arms and looking quite smug. “From the sounds of it, you and Vlad must’ve gotten pretty personal, huh?”

“H-huh?” What makes you say that?”

“Come on, man, it’s obvious! Sam’s grumpy---and it ain’t even Hamburger Friday---and he was fine when I went home last night. Thus, it is my hypothesis that he asked you about what happened after Circus Gothica, and then you proceeded to either deny anything happened, told him what happened, or didn’t get to because of some kind of miraculous intervention that you couldn’t ignore.”

Dani stared at her friend with wide, fast-blinking eyes.

_Holy crap, she’s good. Like, Jazz-level good._

_What’s up with everyone being so accurate, today?_

“But, how did you come to the conclusion that Vlad and I got ‘pretty personal’?”

Tucker’s gaze met her friend’s. “So, you did get all personal?”

“W-what? I-I mean, we talked, but I wouldn’t know about ‘personal’…”

“Girl, you admitted to being in love with him while he was in earshot. You **had** to have talked about something revolving around that.”

_Well, now’s a good a time as any, I guess._

“Yeah, about that…” she began, but without knowing how she wanted to word her next sentence. Maybe she should just be blunt, like she was with Jazz?

The nonconformist looked in her direction, eyes reflecting his desire for an answer, and perhaps a bit of fear regarding that answer.

“Look, we have lunch after this period. I’ll tell you guys then,” Dani said, feeling her gut twist into a pretzel at the mere thought of Sam’s response.

“Ooo goodie, that means I get to bug you about it all through gym!” Tucker enthused in a teasing manner.

“Please no…”

“Just don’t avoid it this time, alright Dani?” the goth requested, looking at her with those same eyes that made the ghost girl feel guilty.

“Yeah, I won’t,” was her reply. As the trio parted for their respective classes, the half ghost heroine continued to tell herself that she wasn’t responsible for the rebel-teens emotions. She kept telling herself that there was nothing she could do, that her love for Vlad may hurt Sam, but that was on him, not her. None the less, the guilt prevailed.

“Hey, I was just kidding about bugging you, so you don’t have to look like your whole world is coming apart,” Tucker stated, her smirk gone and replaced by a worried expression.

“Huh? No, I wasn’t stressing over that,” the young half ghost admitted, watching the floor was they walked over it.

“Then, what’s up?”

“It’s just…I’m worried about how Sam will react to what I have to tell you guys.”

Tucker’s features became the very image of surprise. “Wait, so something actually **did** happen?”

“Yeah.”

“Whoa…So, what happened?”

“I’m not telling you until lunch,” Dani insisted, sending a somewhat disgruntled look Tucker’s way.

“O.K., O.K. But seriously dude, don’t worry about it too much. Sam really cares about you, and not just as a love-struck teenaged boy. He would never turn his back on you, I believe that.”

A hopeful smile decorated Dani’s youthful face. “Thanks, Tuck, I needed to hear that.”

“Besides, no matter what happens, we’ll always be your friends, Dani.”

The young girl felt much more optimistic now. Tucker was right; Sam wouldn’t end their friendship over her relationship with Vlad. And eventually, he would be able to move on a find someone new. Who knew, maybe Dani could help him with that in the future? She always fancied herself a handy wing-woman.

“Oh, by the way Tucker, Vlad told me a little about the ghost hunters that are coming to Amity Park this week. Do you know anything about them?”

“I was looking into it this morning, actually. Our friendly neighborhood councilman ain’t messin’ around.”

_Funny, Vlad said something similar._

“Some group known as the Groovy Gang and Scaredy Cat were called in, along with a couple of adrenaline junkies called the Extreme Ghostbreakers, and a government agency called the Guys in White.”

“Those were the people Vlad mentioned; the Guys in White, I mean,” Dani stated.

“Oh yeah? Does he know about them?”

“Yeah, he said that he’s dealt with them before. Apparently, they’re a no-nonsense organization that’s known for having a shady reputation.”

“Yikes,” Tucker said with a grimace. “They sound like a real piece of work.”

“Vlad’s worried about them, so he told me to be careful. And honestly, if **he** tells me to be careful, I’m gonna be careful,” the ghost girl declared matter-of-factly.

“Amen to that.”

 

************

 

As per usual, the Casper High cafeteria was abounding with noise; the clinks and clatters of plastic silverware on cardboard plates and boisterous ramblings from the many students reverberated off the walls of the large dining room. The talk of the school appeared to be the recent story about the million-dollar bounty that was placed on the ghost girl’s head. Now, it appeared that everyone knew about the visiting ghost hunters and their sought-after prize. Some voiced their approvals, saying that the councilman was in his right to call upon such notable hunters to get rid of the meddlesome ghost girl once and for all. Others, however, expressed their disdain for the measure. These students believed the ghost girl was a helpful spirit; heck, a few of them were even rescued by her a few times.

Paulina was one of these students. She sang her praises to the ghost girl, stating that anyone who wanted to hunt her down like a common animal was cruel and disagreeable. Valerie, who sat at the same popular-kids table as the head cheerleader, proclaimed that ghosts were nothing more than pests and therefore needed to be dealt with as such. Dash, Kwan, and Star didn’t have opinions on the matter, so they elected to change the subject---after all, nothing was more important to a bunch of high school jocks than the next game against a rival school.

Dani, who couldn’t help overhearing all this ghost-hunting talk, ended up recalling what Jazz had told her that morning: “by the way, Mom and Dad apologize about there not being any breakfast. They were too preoccupied with preparing to capture the ghost girl to whip something up”.

This meant that, no doubt, her parents were trying to get in on the game. Dani was already worried about the Guys in White, but now she had to contend with the fact that her Dad may be trying to hunt her down?

Although, it wasn’t so much the fact itself that alarmed her. Rather, it was her mentor’s possible reaction that troubled her.

If a meeting between the three of them---herself, her father, and Plasmius---was to come to pass, then she needed to do everything in her power to keep Vlad from utterly **destroying** Jack. After all, the billionaire already hated the rotund father of two, so all he needed was an excuse to go back on his promise and hurt him something **fierce**.

But would Vlad really do that?

Maybe. The jury’s still out on that one.

The young heroine sighed to herself. She was sitting at her usual table with Tucker and Sam sitting across from her. They were both looking at her with great anticipation. Well, perhaps Tucker was.

The goth, in truth, looked like his entire world was teetering on the edge of oblivion. Like any minute now, he would erupt with a “what is taking you so long?? Just tell us what you wanted to tell us already!!” At the same time, however, the dissenter bore an expression of someone that was suffering from mild to moderate apprehension. The blue-eyed teenager could understand why. The boy was about to get his heart broken.

With her food barely touched, Dani observed her friends with nervous eyes. It was now, or never.

Well, there wasn’t going to be a “never” at this point.

“So…about that thing I needed to talk to you guys about…”

“It’s about what happened between you and Vlad that night, right?” Tucker asked in clarification.

“Yeah.”

“Well, spill it, man! This has been killing me!”

The goth leaned on his elbows. “Just say what you need to say.”

“O.K….so…the thing is…”

The sound of rowdy laughter coming from the popular kids’ table made Dani jump. Geez, was she that nervous to tell them?

“Anyway…so…after you guys left, he led me away from the police and we talked,” she began, not having the will to look Tucker and Sam in the eyes.

“What’d you talk about?” the techno whiz asked, placing her crossed arms on the table and supporting herself upon them.

“We talked about what I said…that I had admitted my feelings for him…”

“Sooo, how did he react? Since the two of you are still talking, I assume it went well?” Tucker prodded with a grin that would make the Cheshire Cat jealous.

“It went alright, yeah,” Dani confessed, rubbing the back of her neck.

“What’d he say?? Was he shocked? Was he surprised??”

“Tucker, just let her finish,” Sam said curtly, glaring daggers the friend to his right.

“O.K., O.K., sheesh.”

“Yeah, so…I told him that I would get over him, but then he…”

Both Sam and Tucker stared at their superpowered friend expectantly.

“But then Vlad…well…he asked me why he would want me to do that, and then…he…admitted to being in love with me…”

Tucker’s face mirrored that of a girl who was told she was going to prom with her secret crush in a posh black limousine. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and she brought her hands up under her chin, each forming an excitedly held fist.

“Oooooooo I knew it! I just knew it! Oh my God, Dani this is awesome! I’m so happy for you! Please tell me you asked him out, right??”

The girl couldn’t help but blush. “I asked him if we were, and then he asked me if I wanted to, and I said yes,” she admitted as she averted her gaze from Tucker’s, a quaint smile appearing on her face.

“Oooooooooo this is so awesome! I can’t believe it! Well, I mean I **can** believe it, ‘cause I frickin’ knew! See, I told you girl, didn’t I? Didn’t I say that he was your man?”

“Y-yeah, you did,” Dani commented, shyly pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“A girl knows these things,” Tucker stated, pointing at her own noggin. “I had a feeling that Vlad was smitten with you, but given the way you acted when you dumped Sam, I thought that I shouldn’t say anything. You know, ‘cause what would be the point?”

“True, I would’ve denied it---”

_Oh crap, SAM!_

Both girls glanced in the goth’s direction, expecting him to bare a frightening visage, a sorrowful one, or a mixture of the two.

Instead what they got was a boy who was staring back at them, arms crossed and furrowing his borrow in an annoyed manner.

“What?”

“Well, it’s just that…” Dani began, but didn’t know how to continue.

“What? You thought I was gonna cause a scene or something? Cut me some slack, I’m not that hopeless.”

“Huh?” both girls vocalized.

The rebel sighed. “Look, I pretty much knew that you were going to tell us something like this, so I’m not in the least bit surprised.”

“But last night, you seemed really anxious, even angry about it,” the ghost girl reminded, in a confused tone.

“Just because I saw it coming doesn’t mean I wasn’t upset over it. Hell, I’m still upset over it. I lost the girl I like to someone who makes my blood boil, so of course I’m going to feel this way.”

“Sam…”

The black-clad teenager chuckled, but in a manner reminiscent of a person who chuckles ironically.

“I knew that he felt the same way about you, didn’t I? I told you that he was interested in you, but you didn’t believe it. I guess I can’t blame you, though. But I knew, and I had a feeling that at some point, it would all come to a head.”

“Sam…I’m…I’m really sorry,” the blue-eyed heroine apologized, slouching her back and letting her shoulders hunch. “I’m sorry that you have to---”

“Hey, you can’t help how you feel, right? You love him, he loves you, end of story,” the nonconformist stated in a calm tone of voice. When he looked at her, his purple eyes conveyed a sadness, but also a feeling of mutual friendship. He cared about her too, as a man would for a woman, but he also wanted to remain friends with her. After all, he had admitted such during their campaign against Desiree.

“Thank you, Sam,” Dani acknowledged, feeling a tremendous weight being lifted from her dainty shoulders.

“This doesn’t mean I’m going to go easy on him; I still don’t trust him, and if he hurts you, he’s going to have **a lot** of explaining to do,” the goth proclaimed, a cocky smirk etched into his features.

“Awww, our little rebel-with-a-cause is finally growing a big-boy pair!” Tucker teased, slapping Sam playfully on the forearm.

“Watch it Foley, or you’ll be on my list,” he cautioned, giving her a warning scowl.

“What list?”

“The list of people I hate. Pretty much all the popular kids are on it,” he enlightened.

“Let me guess; Vlad’s on it, too?” the techno geek inquired, leaning into Sam’s personal space.

“Duh.”

“Oooo, a big scary list, I’m so terrified!” she proclaimed in mock fright. “What’s it gonna do, paper-cut me to death?”

“No, but it’ll remind me of who I’m going to crush in 10 years when I run for Congress or create my own Green-Energy-based company that will annihilate all fossil fuels and those that use them,” Sam explained darkly.

“…Oh…” the computer geek uttered meekly before leaning back over to her side of the bench-seat.

Dani giggled. “Got some big plans, huh, Sam?”

“Well yeah. No one currently in charge cares about saving the planet, and none of these sheeple will do anything that doesn’t involve popular culture, so why not me?”

“Good to know you have goals in mind.”

“Just as long as the effort’s appreciated.”

Throughout the rest of lunch, Dani felt she could finally relax a little. Tucker and Sam were fully on board with her relationship (well, sort of), and now all there was to do was get Jazz to give Vlad the chance he rightfully deserved. If **Sam** of all people could live and let live for a time, then surely Jazz would be easier to deal with. She was family, so of course she was going to be worried. But tonight, all that would be resolved, and the young heroine felt such hope in her heart; she believed that, one way or another, she and Vlad were going to be O.K., that they would be able to anything.

 

***********

 

November was always a chilly month in Amity Park, a precursor to the nearly unbearable frosty air of the city’s Decembers. Due to this, everyone in town knew the drill---with the cold, you wear anything and everything to keep warm. For many adults, this change in attire consisted of stylish winter jackets or fashionable sweaters. For teenagers, however, hoodies tended to be as far as they got. Even though hoodies and sweatshirts had a paper like thinness compared to a bona-fide winter coat, many of the town’s youth opted out of possibly looking fat and decided that being trendy mattered more instead.

Jazz never understood that.

Neither did Dani, but that didn’t stop her from following the herd.

What could she say? It helped her blend in more.

The blue-eyed half ghost stuffed her hands into the pockets of her bubblegum hoodie as a shudder-inducing breeze blew passed. Shaking like a leaf, Dani stared out into the street in front of the Nasty Burger, anticipating Vlad’s car pulling up into the parking lot. Jazz did the same, but without the shivering. Over her usual attire sat a white fleece jacket with a fluffy interior, keeping her sufficiently warm. The sisters had made their way to the restaurant after their homework was finished and their chores had been done (of course, with both their parents busy in the lab, there would have been no one to notice if they hadn’t done their chores, but Jazz was most insistent).

They had been waiting for over twenty minutes so far, and Dani was getting anxious. It was well after 7, and the billionaire still wasn’t there. Was his meeting taking longer than he though? Did he get held up somewhere else? Was his Parisian client a hard ass and wouldn’t let him go?

The half ghost heroine turned to her sister, an awkward smile in her face. “He said his meeting was really important, but I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

“He’d better,” Jazz said back, looking at her wristwatch. “It’s almost 7:30.”

“He’ll be here,” Dani maintained, looking back at the street.

_Come on Vlad, you promised! Where are you?_

Out of the corner of her eye, Dani spotted a banner hanging above the doors of the Nasty Burger; in large green n’ purple font, the words “Welcome, Ghost Hunters” bore down at her like a looming reminder of her other main worry of the week. She had to ask herself how she hadn’t seen it before.

Three groups, ones that were noted as being the “best-known ghost hunters in the world”, were due into town any day, and who knew how long they intended to stay.  

In truth, Dani wasn’t concerned about the first two groups Tucker had mentioned, nor was she worried about her Dad (well, if you didn’t count Vlad), but she was a bit troubled by the Guys in White. She had no idea just how large a force they were sending, and she had no idea what they had up their sleeves. The billionaire’s warning didn’t help, either.

_He’s dealt with them before, and even **he** thinks they’re trouble. Does that mean he had a hard time with them, or is he just worried that I’ll get hurt since I know nothing about them? _

In hindsight, researching the Guys in White would probably prove to be a good use of her time.

Dani pulled out her cellphone, thinking that she should perhaps call her absent boyfriend. But what if he was in the middle of his meeting and trying to get out of it? Maybe he was on his way now and looking at his phone would only distract him?

Letting out an exasperated yell, Dani pocketed her phone again and decided to watch the street once more. She didn’t want to take her eyes off it, lest she miss him coming.

This was a silly thought, but she couldn’t help it.

She was just lucky that Sam had been so understanding about the whole thing. After lunch that afternoon, she had become so hopeful that Jazz would have a similar response---or perhaps a better one. Now, however, since she had had ample time for doubts to set it, all her previous optimism was replaced, once again, by knots in her stomach. The poor thing couldn’t stand still either; she was leaning up against the Nasty Burger sign, but her body was complete fidgety. Her hands had to be doing something, so she ended up playing with the zipper of her hoodie absentmindedly. Her left leg kept bouncing up and down, making it look like she had restless leg syndrome, and she couldn’t help but fall into a cycle of standing up straight and leaning against the sign again.

To say that this waiting was making her restless would be a serious understatement.

Releasing another sigh, Dani pulled out her phone again, only to see a dark vehicle appear from around the corner. Looking up, she noticed that it had a red stripe going down the hood.

It was also a convertible.

_Vlad!_

Elation on her face, she watched as the 2005 mustang swerved gracefully into the parking lot and came to a rest just in front of her and Jazz. The eccentric tycoon exited the car and upon seeing Dani, smiled tenderly.

For her, it was like seeing him for the first time all over again---she felt just as giddy.

The older man walked over to the teenaged-sisters and greeted them kindly: “Good evening, Danielle, Jasmine.”

“H-hey Vlad,” the heroine chirped.

“Hello, Mr. Masters,” Jazz began, holding out a hand. “It’s nice to see you again.”

_Her face is smiling but her eyes aren’t. Great._

The pompous businessman took the 18-year-old’s hand and shook it firmly, but not in a challenging way.

“The pleasure is all mine, and please, Vlad will suffice.”

“Alright, **Vlad**.”

_Oh no. This night can’t end soon enough._

“Shall we?” the redhead offered, gesturing toward the doors of the restaurant.

“Of course,” the business mogul began, before opening one of the double doors. “After you.”

“Thank you.”

“T-thanks, Vlad,” Dani acknowledged, smiling up at him. “So, don’t mind her, she’s just a bit---”

“Skeptical?” he surmised, smirking at his protégé.

“Yeah, let’s go with that.”

“Don’t worry, little badger, everything will be fine,” Vlad asserted, placing a warm, supportive hand on her shoulder before walking inside. The younger half ghost followed, but to her surprise, Jazz made her way to a booth instead of the counter. Looks like they were here strictly for business.

Sitting in the booth furthest away from the other patrons, Jazz removed her coat and placed it next to her. Vlad slid in cross from her, with Dani taking the seat to his right. If they didn’t have an awkward discussion looming over them, the half ghost heroine would have reveled in the fact that she was sitting next to her charming mentor in one of her favorite establishments.

She made a mental note to come back with him at a later date.

“So, Vlad, Dani has told me that you’re officially dating,” Jazz started, sitting up straight and eyeing the older half ghost with great cynicism.

“That is correct,” he replied nonchalantly, wearing a casual and nonthreatening expression.

“She said that you’ve only been together for a couple days,” she added.

“Today would make three days,” he stated.

“Yes, of course,” the redhead agreed coolly. “She also said that you’re half ghost, like her, and that you moved here from Wisconsin to train her to use her powers properly.”

“Indeed.”

“So, that leads me to believe that, like Dani, you suffered an accident that resulted in you receiving your powers,” Jazz conjected.

“You would be correct, Jasmine.”

“So, am I also right to assume that my Dad had something to do with it?”

This question seemed to catch Vlad by surprise. He glanced at Dani, who merely returned his gaze.

“I didn’t tell her the whole story. Just like with Sam and Tucker, I didn’t think it would be fair if I told her so casually.”

He smiled in response. “I appreciate that, Danielle.”

“If I may ask then, is this accident the reason you’re not fond of Dad?” Jazz questioned, interlacing her fingers and resting her chin upon them.

“My, you’re rather astute, Jasmine. I’m quite impressed,” he praised, raising his eyebrows and crossing one leg over the other underneath the table.

“It wasn’t that hard to figure out,” she stated plainly.

“Well, in answer to your question; yes, the accident is the reason I can no longer tolerate your father’s presence.”

“But we’re working on that!” Dani interjected. “He promised that he would make amends with Dad and work on being friends again!”

Jazz’s eyes wandered over to Dani when she interrupted and then they went back to Vlad.

“Did you really promise that?”

“I did,” Vlad replied, without so much as a sign of disgust or repulsion in his face. “Danielle wishes that I patch things up with Jack, and I don’t believe she is wrong. It is time to let go of old grudges and move on.”

Jazz rose an eyebrow.

Dani, meanwhile, looked at the older man in awe.

_Wow. I can’t tell if he’s lying or being honest. Frankly, that’s one of the things that scare be about him; he’s hard to read._

True, he **had** promised, but three months had already passed, and he hadn’t made the slightest effort to reach out to Jack. Dani could understand if work was interfering with this, but that excuse could only hold water for so much longer.

_Wait, is he not going to mention Mom? Vlad said that **that** was the real reason he hated my Dad for so long. But I guess if he did, Jazz would never trust him. Hell, Sam and Tucker don’t even know about that. _

“Alright then. So, Vlad, now I have to ask: what are your intentions toward Dani?” Jazz quizzed.

“Jazz!” the younger half ghost cried in rebuke.

“My intentions? Ah, I see. I can assure you, Jasmine, that my intentions are quite honorable. I wish to look after Danielle, to watch over her and keep her safe for as long as I live. I want to fight by her side and offer her everything she could ever ask for. But above all, Jasmine, I want Danielle to be **happy**.”

With her face as red as a ripe tomato, Dani attempted to hide herself within her hoodie. Her mentor could be so candid with his words, she knew that, but what she didn’t know was whether or not she would get used to it.

Jazz, surprisingly, seemed taken off guard by Vlad’s reply. Perhaps she wasn’t expecting him to be that honest, or maybe she didn’t think his intentions were honorable at all?

“I realize that you’re rather concerned about our relationship, Jasmine, but trust me when I say that I have thought about this just as much as you have, perhaps more so. It has not escaped my notice that Danielle is much younger than I am, nor has it eluded me that she is inexperienced and relatively naïve---”

“Hey!”

“But rest assured, I have taken all this into account. I will not lay a finger on Danielle unless she truly wishes me to. I do not intend to tempt her into something that she isn’t ready for. I want her to trust me, to feel safe around me. I don’t want to lose her.”

Once again, Jazz seemed quite surprised. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth hung slightly agape.

“See? What did I tell you?” the ghost girl asked as she crossed her arms, her face still red and her hoodie still covering her head from her previous attempt at hiding herself.

“I see,” Jazz said, somewhat stumbling over her own words. “So, you really care about Dani?”

“I love her, more than I have ever loved anything or anyone,” the older billionaire declared, with not a second wasted.

“I-I see,” the redhead responded, truly astounded by what she had just heard. His words almost mirrored Dani’s exactly. Perhaps then, it would stand, that the older billionaire’s intentions were not so suspicious after all. Perhaps this was proof that he truly thought and cared about her. Perhaps, it would seem, that the man really loved her little sister.

Still, she couldn’t shake this feeling of unease. Dani was involved in something scandalous, and if word ever got out…

“I understand your feelings on the matter, now. It’s pretty clear that you really care about Dani,” Jazz admitted.

“What have I been trying to tell you?” the ghost girl remarked.

“However, you say that you’ve thought about everything---that you’re well aware of the delicate situation she’s in---so, I have to ask; if suspicions of your relationship ever arose, would you, for Dani’s sake, be willing to break up with her?”

Both half ghosts looked surprised, startled even. The prospect of ending something they had both longed for was unthinkable. The idea itself made Dani panic a little inside.

Vlad felt his stomach turn. Loosing her was never on his itinerary, and he certainly wasn’t expecting that kind of question.

But the red head did make a valid point. As much as the older tycoon loathed to admit it, there was a possibility of this happening. Slim though it was, it was entirely possible that something regarding their relationship would get out, even if it was minor. In the age of cell phones and the internet, it was quite difficult to keep secrets.

Although, he had been able to keep his ghost powers a secret for 20 years, so he had that going for him, at least.

In truth, Vlad hadn’t given this idea much thought, being caught, that is. This was a worrying prospect in of itself, since the businessman **always** thought everything through.

If they were under threat of being found out, would they have to separate? Would they have to break up?

Both their reputations would be on the line. He would be in danger of losing everything he had worked to achieve, as well as doing time in prison. Danielle would have to endure relentless harassment and social ostracization for an undetermined amount of time, and her school life was already hellish enough.

All he wanted was for her to be happy, but was he really willing to let her go if the need arose? Would he be able to do that? **Could** he?

These were questions he never wanted the answers to.

Although, he had a pretty good idea what those answers would be, and Jasmine probably wouldn’t be too pleased with them.

Dani furrowed her brow at her sister. “Come on, Jazz, how can you ask something like that? We’ve only just started going out!”

“It’s a reasonable question, Dani. And besides, if may or may not guarantee that I’ll keep my mouth shut, depending on the response.”

“Wha---that’s straight up blackmail!”

“Even so, it’s a fair question.”

The ghost girl glanced at her mentor. He looked contemplative. Did he really have to think his answer over?

If that was the case, then surely that meant he didn’t want to let her go. He had to ponder it because he never even **humored** the idea, which was a heartwarming thing.

But at the same time, maybe this was a bad thing? Dani didn’t know why it would be.

Apparently, Jazz did though. It showed in her features.

“Mr. Masters, are you unwilling to break up with her if she became threatened by social alienation?” she questioned.

His navy eyes moved in his little badger’s direction, meeting her gaze. How could be possibly be expected to give up those lovely blue eyes? How could be give up her luscious raven locks, her adorable mannerisms, her quaint little body--- **her**? The pompous billionaire knew that without his dear one, he would inevitably fall apart. Nothing in this world would---could---take her place.

If faced with the situation Jazz had suggested, what **would** he do?

Vlad believed he would fight it. He would do whatever it took to protect both of their reputations, but would that include breaking up with Dani?

“But I don’t care about that!” Dani yelled in rebuke, almost loud enough to alert the other patrons. “I don’t care about my damn reputation! I’ll endure any pain if it means I get to be with him!”

Jazz eyed her sister. “Dani, stop. You don’t understand what’s at stake here. Saying you don’t care is just irresponsible and foolish.”

“No, I’m saying it because it’s the truth!”

Suddenly, the sound of roaring motorcycles grabbed the attention of everyone in the restaurant. As all eyes watched in curiosity, two motorbikes came into view, only stopping when they came dangerously close to crashing into a few parked cars. The riders appeared young, perhaps around their early to mid-20s. They stepped off their bikes and high-fived each other, enthusing about their clearly very dangerous stunt.

Dani made note of their appearance; both were around the same height and weight, but were different genders, one being male and the other female. The girl had her blonde hair tied in a low ponytail, and from her smile she appeared to have braces. The guy, however, hid his features under a black helmet that came down around his chin. In fact, the girl possessed a similar helmet, only it wasn’t almost a full one like her partner’s. They also appeared to be wearing a uniform of sorts---they were black with green n’ grey accents (like their belts and shoulder guards), made out of metal or some kind of resilient material.

Then Dani noticed their backpacks. They were the brand of anti-ghost bag that her father had been railing about earlier that year, one that was created to accommodate ecto-blasters and other hazardous weapons and/or substances.

_Oh great, looks like the ghost hunters are arriving._

Sure enough, another vehicle-like sound came barreling up the street, evidently belonging to a van that looked like it hadn’t left the 1960s. The car pulled up next to the Extreme Ghostbreakers, coming to a stop with a mildly-alarming noise. Were the brakes in need to fixing?

The driver, passenger, and a rather large cat hopped out of the van, also looking like they hadn’t left the 1960s. Like the Ghostbreakers, they were both a man and a woman, but they appeared to be much more laid back. The man, ginger and all chill, leaned up against the van and checked his phone. The woman, on the other hand, walked over to the cat and began patting its head. The poor animal looked frightened out of its mind, with its eyes bulging and shaking so badly it looked like it was vibrating.

_Is it possible for cats to have high blood pressure? ‘Cause that thing looks like the epitome of stress and anxiety._

Looks like the Groovy Gang had arrived. That just left the Guys and White and her parents.

Vlad’s eyes narrowed as he watched the group of wanna-be millionaires. He had done some research on them as Tucker had, but wasn’t impressed by what he’d seen. Sure, they were capable---they had decent reputations---but they were nothing next to him. He could elude these fools any day of the week.

However, with their arrival, it would stand to reason that the Guys in White weren’t far behind.

A sense of caution rose in the pit of Vlad’s stomach.

“We should take our leave,” he advised, making a move to stand up.

“But wait, wouldn’t that look even more suspicious? Wouldn’t it just be better if we stay here?” the young heroine suggested.

The older man turned to his protégé. “Those fools outside don’t concern me, but I know that the Guys in White are on their way, and I’d rather not be here when they arrive.”

“Are they really that dangerous?” Jazz asked, her earlier judgment seemingly absent. As usual, her protective-older-sister-vibes had taken over.

“They’re not to be trifled with, no,” the tycoon stated, looking out the window again. “Danielle could very well be at risk once they are loitering around.”

The 18-year-old rose. “Then let’s go. We can continue this conversation later.”

“Much obliged, Jasmine.”

“Hey, doesn’t anyone wanna asked for my input?” Dani asked, crossing her arms.

They both looked at her.

“What? It’s nice to be included.”

Jazz sighed as only an older sibling could. “Let’s just hurry. These Guys in White don’t sound too hospitable.”

“They’re a government organization meant to investigate and exterminate ghosts. So yeah, not exactly cuddly,” the ghost girl remarked as she slid out of the booth.

“Wait, what?” Jazz asked, following suit.

The older half ghost exited the booth after Dani, making sure to stay close. He subtlety placed a hand on her back, guiding her toward the door. Jazz noticed this but did nothing. At the moment, their goal was the same, so it would be pointless to cause a scene now.

As they stepped outside, a polished, newly waxed 1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria breezed into the parking lot, sliding right into an empty spot near Vlad’s Mustang. Two men gracefully exited the vehicle, wearing immaculate white suits with black ties, gloves, sunglasses, and loafers (which were, like the car, polished to perfection). One of them walked behind the car and opened the trunk, presumably retrieving something ghost-related, while the other busied himself with adjusting his cufflinks.

Vlad had stopped in his tracks upon seeing them, wearing a threatening expression. Luckily, they hadn’t noticed, so Dani decided it was her turn to lead; she headed straight for the older man’s car, holding the Guys in White in the edges of her vision. The billionaire, though startled at first by her sudden action, followed his protégé, placing his hand back on her back when he reached her. This time, however, it was more out of possessive protection than guidance. Jazz also followed, keeping all of the ghost hunters in her sights without being too obvious.

All three approached the Mustang, with the Guys in White being only a couple spots down from them. Dani felt her heartrate quicken, causing her to feel uncomfortable. She didn’t think she’d be **this** nervous around them. Sure, they looked intimidating, that’s par for the course of working for the government.

Suddenly, one of the guys looked in her direction. With his sunglasses on (and seriously, who wears sunglasses at night?), she couldn’t tell if he was looking at her, but she felt uneasy none the less.

_They don’t have some kind of tech in their shades that allow them to see ecto-energy, do they? No way, that be dumb. There’s no way they can tell that I’m the ghost girl without seeing me transform or something._

_Right?_

Vlad pulled out his keys, unlocked the car, and then gestured toward it with a nod. “Get in, I’ll drive you home.”

“I’m a little trepidatious about getting into a car that belongs to a man I hardly know,” Jazz commented, gazing up at the older man skeptically.

“Well, I know him, and you know me, so it’s like you indirectly know him,” Dani reasoned.

“Huh?” Jazz replied, raising an eyebrow and looking at her sister incredulously.

Even **Vlad** was looking at her funny.

“Oh whatever, let’s just go!”

“I concur,” the billionaire agreed, opening the passenger door and folding down the seat.

Hesitantly, Jazz slid inside. Once she was situated, Vlad pulled the seat back down for his protégé. She wasted no time getting in, wanting to be as far away from this parking lot as she could get. But, just before Vlad could close the door, the Fenton RV came roaring up the street and into the lot. Apparently, Jack couldn’t see where he was going, and thus, ended up slamming right into the Ghostbreakers’ motorbikes. Luckily, it seemed, they suffered only a few dents.

“Sorry ‘bout that!” Maddie called from within the ostentatious vehicle.

“Hey, watch it!” both the Ghostbreakers cried in agitation.

This caught the attention of, naturally, the other ghost hunters, as well as the customers still inside the Nasty Burger. From where she sat, Dani could see some the patrons laughing.

_Great, just what I need; embarrassment to go along with my aching dread._

The business tycoon furrowed his brow at the RV but made no other movements. It was as if the vehicle had insulted his mother, given the way he was looking at it.

_Now what? Vlad’s here, and so is my Mom and Dad. Will they notice? Will they say anything? What will Vlad do?_

Surely Vlad wasn’t stupid enough to transform right then and there in order to deal with this. No, “stupid” was **not** a word to describe Vlad Masters. But it was evident that he was mad---no--- **pissed**. Perhaps he’d just figured out that Dani’s own parents were trying to hunt her down?

A quick flash of his eyes proved definitive enough.

_Oh no…what do I do? I can’t let Vlad fight my parents, especially since he’s supposed to patch things up with them!_

“Mr. Masters, we should go, before this gets worse,” Jazz advised from the back seat, concern etched into her features.

“Now, where’s that ghost kid?” Jack asked no one in particular as he hopped out of the RV, determination visible in his eyes. “We can’t let these other guys get the drop on us, Maddie.”

“Don’t worry, Jack, they won’t, not when we have the homefield advantage,” she said proudly, joining his side.

_My parents weren’t even hired by that councilman, so are they just in this to make sure no one else gets to me?_

“Come on, Vlad, let’s go,” Jazz insisted, leaning forward slightly.

The man in question narrowed his eyes. Rage was building in his very core, and once again, he could see it; the red. The corners of his vision were caked in red, reminding him the altercation he had had with the Fright Knight on Halloween. Though small, the red would soon consume everything, and it would be like looking out of ruby lenses. And along with this, he would become as powerful as he had during the conflict, without restraint or pity.

Vlad hadn’t had much time to explore this new power of his, and now he was beginning to believe that this would be the perfect time---he could test it on Jack Fenton.

Except, Jazz and Dani were right there, so now would **not** be the best time.

_A golden opportunity; sadly wasted._

Straightening out his lapel, Vlad closed the passenger door and strode over to his own. Dani watched him as he approached, but then he stopped. His expression appeared startled; it was the kind of face one makes when they’re not expecting something---or perhaps, in Vlad’s case---some **one**.

Dani hadn’t heard anything, but from the look on her mentor’s face, it was clear that someone had noticed him.

Then her father came into view.

_CRAP!!!_

“Jazz, hold on to me!” the ghost girl demanded, grabbing her sister’s arm.

“Dani, what are you---?”

The heroine turned invisible, as did Jazz, just as Jack was close enough to see inside.

“Vladdie!! I **knew** it was you! What’re you doing here?” the father of two asked, absolute delight written on his face.

“Don’t tell me you’re here for the ghost girl too,” Maddie teased once she was as at Jack’s right.

 _Well, in a manner of speaking,_ Dani thought to herself ironically.

“Ah, Maddie. Jack,” the eccentric billionaire addressed, his earlier mortification all but remaining.

“I didn’t think you were still into ghosts, V-man,” Jack said as he put an arm over Maddie’s shoulders.

“I assure you, that is not why I’m here,” he stated, roping his arms behind his back and oozing with credibility.

“Well, gosh, it’s so nice to see you again! If the ghost girl hasn’t brought you to town, what has?” the lovely mother of two asked in curiosity. “You could’ve told us you’d be visiting and then we would’ve set some time aside to see you.”

“I am quite grateful, Maddie, but that wouldn’t have been necessary,” he said with his trademark smirk. “You see, I won’t be staying long.”

“Don’t you worry, Vladdie, Maddie and I don’t mind making room in our schedules. There’ll be plenty of time!”

“Yes, well---”

“I just can’t believe you’re here! I never expected to see you in Amity Park!”

“Are you here on business?” Maddie asked, cocking her head and maintaining her charming smile.

“Yes, as a matter of fact. And its quite urgent business so I really must be going,” the older half ghost explained as he tried to turn his back to them and get into the car.

“Hey, I know! Maybe we can hunt for the ghost girl together! It’ll be just like the good ol’days!” Jack suggested with much enthusiasm.

“But Jack, we never hunted ghosts in college. We only worked on the protol-portal,” Maddie reminded her husband matter-of-factly.

“Oh, close enough,” he responded dismissively. “Waddaya say, Vladdie?”

“I’m afraid I must decline,” he began. “I don’t much care to---”

Unexpectedly, three green, mist-like figures manifested in the middle of the parking lot. The already darkening sky had adopted an ominous blue hue as the forms of the apparitions took shape, casting the whole immediate area into premature night. Beeps and sirens began to emanate from the vehicles of each ghost hunting party, with the Fenton RV in particular lighting up like a Christmas Tree. Everyone went on high alert; the Guys in White each assume a more intimidating scowl as they procured a couple of high-powered ecto-guns from the trunk of their car.

Apparently, the guy who was already at the trunk was simply doing inventory on their arsenal, if the clipboard that he had thrown into said trunk wasn’t evidence enough.

One third of the Groovy Gang, the cat, had emitted a startled shriek and launched itself onto the nearest person (who happened to be the girl of the group). It’s claws dug into the ribs of the poor woman, causing her to have an erupt in protest.

“AHH! You’re like, piercing my internal organs, dude!”

“Easy, Scaredy Cat, you’re like, **maiming** her!” the man of the group exclaimed with worry.

Meanwhile, the Extreme Ghostbreakers busted out a couple of skateboards, pulling them up so that their undersides faced the strange entities. Both individuals wore cocky grins as mini laser-emitters popped out from the sides of the skateboards, appearing to charge up seconds afterward.

As the three figures fully manifested, they suddenly looked all too familiar to Dani.

_Wait a minute…those are the vulture ghosts from Vlad’s house in Wisconsin!_

They squawked and shrieked as they dove for the ghost hunters, each bird targeting a different group. As Sunglasses unleashed his talons on the Groovy Gang, the man of the group (who Dani decided to call Hippie) held out a bag of treats for the cowardly feline.

“Hey Scaredly Cat,” he began in a soft voice. “Who wants a Kitty Krunch?”

Almost immediately, the cat wrenched itself away from the blonde woman (who Dani elected to name Flower Girl) and roared at the ghostly bird. It then pounced on him, making Sunglasses yipe in surprise, but he quickly phased into the ground. This, of course, caused the cat much confusion.

As that was going on, the other two vultures were having a field day with the Ghostbreakers and the Guys in White. The former fired their laser-boards at Longbeak, who merely cawed at them mockingly. He swerved and glided out of the way of their attacks, serving to greatly frustrate the two adrenaline junkies. Leader, meanwhile, was taunting the Guys in White, who furrowed their brows at his provocation. One of them, whose skin was much fairer than that of his partner’s, pulled out a pen from his outer breast pocket and used it to fire a small beam of green light at the taxing ghost. The beam hit Leader’s wing, causing him to go down---but before he could slam into the pavement, he went intangible instead, mimicking Sunglasses.

Then both Sunglasses and Leader rose from the ground and attacked their respective targets.

“What in the world is going on out there?” Jazz asked, but more as a rhetorical question than anything.

“What awesome timing,” Dani murmured to herself. Did Vlad have something to do with this?

Eyeing him from her seat, the young heroine noticed that he was watching the fracas with Jack and Maddie, who, judging from their body language, appeared quite stunned.

“C’mon on Maddie, we gotta deal with these spectral spooks!” the rotund ghost hunter proclaimed.

“You’re right, Jack!” she agreed before looking back to Vlad. When she did, she said: “Vlad, you should get out of here while you still can! Its too dangerous to stick around!”

“Oh dear, you’re quite right, Maddie!” he exclaimed, caution and fear mingling in his words. “I had heard humors that this town was plagued by malevolent spirits, but I never imagined it was this prevalent! I shall take my leave, but don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be able to clean this mess up post haste.”

“Don’t you worry, V-man, Maddie and I are the best in the business!” Jack declared with great pride. “These ghosts are nothing against us; Jack and Maddie Fenton, Jazz and Dani’s parents!”

Both girls smacked their foreheads.

“Y-yes, well, it was nice seeing you two again, and if you’ll excuse me---” Vlad said as he opened his car door and moved to slid inside, but before he did he looked over his shoulder to see both the Fentons charging into the fray. With a snarky “Hmph”, he slid all the way inside and closed the door.

“It is alright, you can reveal yourselves,” he stated to the open air.

Dani and Jazz became visible again, with the ghost girl releasing her sister’s arm.

“Dani, shouldn’t you do something?” the red head asked with concern in her voice.

“Why? It’s not a problem, these ghosts aren’t going to hurt Mom and Dad,” the young heroine explained. “They work for Vlad.”

“They do?”

“Indeed, Jasmine,” the older billionaire said as he turned the key in the ignition, causing the car to rumble to life. “I ordered them to watch Amity Park for signs of the Guys in White. They will keep them, as well as those other fools, busy for a good long while.”

The eccentric tycoon soared out of that parking lot like a bat out of Hell. He knew that his servants would come in handy, and he was most grateful for their speedy arrival, as while as giving them the opportunity to escape.

Of course, they had not arrived soon enough; Jack and Maddie Fenton were now fully aware of his presence in Amity Park.

This was not how he had wanted that scenario to play out. Rather, he had planned on revealing his new living situation to them over a casual phone call---one he wasn’t going to make for some time yet.

He was still struggling with the concept of reaching out to the Fentons---Jack, to be specific. Yes, he had promised his little badger that he would play nice with the overgrown buffoon, and he fully intended on making good on his word.

Thing was, he wasn’t planning on doing so for a while.

He wasn’t even sure when he would, if he was honest with himself. He dreaded the idea of conversing with Jack again; every time he thought about it, he felt agitated and nauseous.

It was not in his nature to be forgiving. It was not in his nature to give dupes and morons any time of day. It was not in his nature to put up with those that irritated him or tried his patience.

However---and he had been through this with himself many times over---if it meant having his little badger at his side forever, then he would willingly throw himself onto the pyre of vexation and displeasure.

Still, he had hoped for some more time.

_I’ll have to tell Maddie and Jack about the move, as well as working with Danielle. Luckily, I am prepared for such a conversation. It won’t be difficult convincing the both of them that the meetings between Danielle and I are nothing short of normal if I’m merely her **tutor**._

This wasn’t technically a lie, as the older man had been mentoring her in her powers, as well as offering the occasional help with homework.

Sighing under his breath, the older half ghost cruised down the street toward the Fenton residence, feeling a sense of comfort from the lack of parental figures within it.

Pulling up to the house, Vlad glanced at his protégé with a stern face. “Now I want you to be careful. My vultures were able to stave off those hunters today, but I can’t guarantee that they’ll always be available.”

“I know, I will,” Dani reassured with a nod.

“Good.”

“So, now what?” Jazz asked, leaning forward so that she was flush against the center console. “Are you going to be helping Dani with the hunters?”

“I plan to,” the businessman began, now turning to the red-headed teen. “But my work is, at the moment, difficult to get away from. There are a few things I have to take care of first before I can protect Danielle in earnest.”  

Jazz seemed to be absorbing his answer; taking it all in and assessing its merit. Perhaps she was attempting to ascertain the true meaning behind it. To Dani, however, there was only one reason for his kind words.

Nodding without a word, the teen leaned back slightly and waited to be let out. Then the ghost girl opened her car door, stepped out, and folded the seat down in order for her sister to exit. Once she had, the 16-year-old turned back to her boyfriend.

“Hopefully they’ll give up if Dani Phantom doesn’t show up,” she said as she leaned down and rested her hand on the roof of the Mustang.

“One can hope,” the silver-haired tycoon replied.

“But hey, even if they see me, I won’t make it easy for them,” she proclaimed in a playful tone, bearing a smirk.

The billionaire smirked right back. “I would expect no less, my dear little badger.”

**Author's Note:**

> Just as a heads up, I'm going to be writing some other stories as well, and if you're at all interested in the following fandoms, then feel free to check them out when I get around to uploading them.  
> -Inuyasha  
> -Black Butler  
> -Batman (Joker and Harley)  
> -Hellsing  
> By the way, the Black Butler and Hellsing ones will be my first attempts at Character x Reader stories, so as always, constructive criticism is always appreciated!


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